Hearts make final offer to Peter Haring as delay over new contract is explained

Hearts have made a final contract offer to Peter Haring and are now awaiting an answer on the Austrian midfielder’s future.

With his existing agreement about to expire, Tynecastle officials opened talks in March aimed at keeping 28-year-old Haring in Edinburgh. Negotiations since then have dragged on and the Evening News has learned some of the details behind the delay.

Discussions took place around the length of the deal Hearts proposed. Haring and his representatives wanted another three years which would keep the player in Scotland until summer 2025. Hearts initially offered a two-year contract.

That and other details have been debated back and forth in recent weeks and a final offer has now been put forward. Hearts are hopeful that a successful conclusion is imminent. Haring said publicly that he would like the issue resolved after spending the last four years in Gorgie.

He left SV Ried in his homeland back in 2018 and quickly became a mainstay in then-manager Craig Levein’s Hearts side. Hip and pelvis injuries sidelined him for a year during the 2019/20 campaign but he recovered to re-establish himself as a key player.

Haring managed 41 appearances during the season just ended as Hearts finished third in the Scottish Premiership just a year after gaining promotion under manager Robbie Neilson.

They also reached the Scottish Cup final and qualified for the Europa League play-off, guaranteeing European group-stage football next season. Even if they lose the play-off tie, they will parachute into the Europa Conference group phase.

Haring must now decide if he wants to stay and play a part in the forthcoming 2022/23 campaign.