Hearts look at another contract option to bring Callum Paterson back to Tynecastle from Sheffield Wednesday

Hearts will consider a pre-contract offer to bring Callum Paterson back to Edinburgh this summer if Sheffield Wednesday hold firm beyond Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

Tynecastle officials have not given up hope of prising Paterson away before the January window closes tomorrow night, but Wednesday have so far resisted their advances. Two offers have been submitted without success this month and there could be one more attempt in the next 24 hours.

Paterson remains an important player for the League One club and, as such, they are extremely reluctant to sell him at the moment. He has started five of their last eight games, most recently Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Fleetwood Town. Wednesday are second top of League One and aiming for automatic promotion to the Championship. Letting a versatile attacking player depart at such a late stage in the window would leave them scrambling for a replacement.

Hearts still hope a deal might be reached to take the 28-year-old back to his formative club this month. If not, they will then look at trying to secure him on a pre-contract agreement for next season. Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore stated publicly that Paterson is “open” to extending his contract in South Yorkshire, which is due to expire at the end of the current campaign.

Hearts are prepared to offer a long-term deal if he rejoins the club where he first emerged as a 17-year-old in 2012. He quickly became a first-team regular under then-manager John McGlynn and gained international recognition with Scotland. He currently holds 17 senior caps. Hearts sold him to Cardiff City in 2017 and he moved on to Sheffield Wednesday in 2020.