Sabah Kerjota has spoken with Tynecastle officials

Hearts have held transfer talks with the Albanian winger Sabah Kerjota as they aim to strengthen their forward line ahead of the new season. The 23-year-old plays in Italy with Serie C side US Sambenedettese and the club’s sporting director Stefano De Angelis confirmed that a deal is close.

“Talks are advanced or we wouldn't talk about it but nothing is certain,” he said. “We'll evaluate everything. If negotiations are concluded it'll be beneficial for the player because this is a great opportunity for him but it has to be beneficial for Sab, too.

“If that's the case then credit to the player and his agent. We have great relations with them and everyone has tried to get the best possible conditions. Otherwise, we'll be very happy to keep Kerjota with us.”

Kerjota’s contract at Sambenedettese runs until 2028 and Hearts are willing to pay a fee to bring him to Scotland. He scored 10 goals and claimed 11 assists last season to help his club achieve promotion to the third tier from the regionalised lower leagues. His form attracted plenty attention and the chance to play in the Scottish top flight appeals to the player.

He is a predominantly left-footed right winger, an area Hearts head coach Derek McInnes wants to improve ahead of the new season. The Kazakhstan internationalist Islam Chesnokov has agreed a pre-contract to move to Edinburgh later this year and McInnes is unsure whether a quick transfer in the summer window is possible. The move for Kerjota is to avoid being left short in that department.

Shankland deal for Hearts as transfer business continues

Hearts are also close to re-signing captain Lawrence Shankland after he flew out to the club’s pre-season training camp in Spain late on Wednesday. He has agreed to commit his future after months of uncertainty, and the move is set to be finalised by the weekend in what is a huge boost for McInnes. Re-signing Shankland was one of his top priorities following his appointment at Tynecastle.

Speaking earlier this week about Chesnokov, McInnes explained the situation as it stands. “We’re no further forward,” he admitted. “There's a wee bit of an impasse where he's still a key player for his current team and I don't think they're actively encouraging offers from us to get him. It's not as if they're teasing us or anything with an offer. It needs to be more. We're not really getting that sort of dialogue.

“My fear is that they maybe want him to stay at the end of their campaign, pushing him down the line for us. But I think he's worth waiting for. We've done a pre-contract, we might need to wait a bit longer for that, unfortunately. Hopefully we can still find a way.”

He is still keen to add speed to the attack, something Kerjota could offer. “The priority was a bit more pace, players happier playing in wide areas and a bit more physicality,” added McInnes. “I still think, while we're getting there, we're still a bit short of that at the minute.”