Hearts keen on new forward after signing Toby Sibbick, Ellis Simms and Nathaniel Atkinson

Hearts are not yet finished in the transfer market despite signing three new players already this month.

Toby Sibbick penned a three-and-a-half-year contract to return to Tynecastle Park last night after a fee was agreed with Barnsley. He followed Ellis Simms on loan from Everton and Nathaniel Atkinson, a permanent signing from Melbourne City.

Hearts officials are still looking to add at least one more new recruit before the January window closes on Monday night. They are seeking another quick attacking player who can play across the front line and will spend the next few days considering a couple of options.

“We aren't finished yet, we’re still looking. We might bring another one in attacking-wise but I still think we have good options at the moment,” confirmed manager Robbie Neilson.

Hearts sporting director Joe Savage with manager Robbie Neilson.

Sporting director Joe Savage is working in the background looking at a list of different names who fit the criteria set out in the Edinburgh club’s recruitment plan.

An offer for the Japanese forward Tsuyoshi Ogashiwa was rejected last month but Hearts also have other targets for the attacking position. They only plan to add someone if the player in question will improve their squad.

For now, Neilson and his players are preparing for Saturday’s cinch Premiership meeting with Motherwell at Tynecastle. It is a huge opportunity to increase their seven-point advantage over the Fir Park club in the race for third place and European qualification.

After Wednesday’s defeat by Celtic, Neilson insisted Hearts are looking up the table towards both Glasgow clubs and implored his players to believe they can challenge the top two in Scotland.

“I think we’ve got a good team, sometimes we just need to believe it,” he said. “We need to believe we are good enough to go toe-to-toe with Celtic and Rangers. You see that, when we believe, we get on our game and we get after teams, we can cause problems.

“We are looking up the way, we aren’t looking down. We just need to keep winning games. We have a big game on Saturday and if we win that we have a great chance of moving forward.”

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