Hearts confirm Calvin Miller's surgery and return time - and why free agent transfers won't happen

Hearts teenagers Matthew Gillies and Gus Stevenson are in the frame to play against FC Thun in Thursday’s UEFA Conference League tie. The Edinburgh club are beset by injury problems and landed in Switzerland on Wednesday without 10 first-team players. Among them is winger Calvin Miller, who is set for surgery on a damaged meniscus and is expected to miss two to three months of football.

Gillies and Stevenson, both 19, are currently on co-operation loans at Stenhousemuir but were named on the B list Hearts submitted to UEFA when registering players for the Conference League. They have been promoted for this match to help compensate for the absence of more experienced colleagues. Gillies can operate in defence or midfield, while Stevenson is a more attack-minded midfielder.

Hearts have just 16 outfield players fit for this game. Having played for Stenhousemuir in Friday’s Scottish Championship defeat by Livingston at Ochilview, the two youngsters are in contention for European debuts at the Visana Stadion. Gillies is the more likely of the two to feature. “Profile-wise, for sure they are in my thoughts,” said Wouter Vrancken, the Hearts head coach. “Especially Matthew, because I think he has shown some good things already with Stenhousemuir. In the situation we are in, we have to consider him for sure to take a role in the squad.”

Finlay Pollock may be required despite missing the last 19 months with relentless injury issues. He played 45 minutes for Hearts Under-19s against Hibs on Tuesday. “He can fill in in different positions. It's also depending on what happens in the game, if we need him or not and in which position we can need him,” explained Vrancken. “It's very important for us that he played this under-19 game, because it was a long time he played some game minutes. This is most important for him at this moment, so that he can find his game back in a real game, instead of in training sessions. The game will decide if we need him and where we need him.”

Vrancken explained that Miller, Hearts’ top goalscorer, needs an operation after hobbling off during Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Hibs. “It will be two months, let's say, depending on what the surgery says because it's a meniscus injury. It's a pity, but it is what it is,” said Vrancken. “With this injury, he will always need surgery. Depending on what they have to do, it will be maybe a difference of a few weeks. It was the movement in the action which caused it. I think it was a duel with [Martin] Boyle, as I remember, and then the way he puts his foot and stretches his leg.”

Tomas Magnusson is out with concussion and Hearts are thin on numbers in Thun. Vrancken explained that the club will not reinforce the squad by signing free agent players. “There's a reason why somebody is a free agent to begin with. How long was he out of playing, out of training sessions? It's always difficult to bring somebody in,” said the manager. “These guys have to play directly and perform directly on a high level.

“It’s not easy to find somebody who's capable to do it and has the quality to do it and is a free agent. There's no point, it makes no sense to take a free agent in. You have to prepare him two months to be physically top. In two months, we have our players back. This is the balance we have to make. When there is one on the radar who is top, and you cannot miss it, then it would be great. But you and me know that it's not so easy.”