Hearts make final push to sign Barnsley forward Mamadou Thiam

Hearts have made a final push to sign the Barnsley forward Mamadou Thiam before Friday night's transfer deadline.

With German midfielder Marcel Langer expected to arrive from Schalke in the next 24 hours, manager Daniel Stendel is pressing ahead with plans to strengthen his forward line.

He has made a fresh move for Thiam after an initial enquiry earlier this month. Hearts are proposing a loan agreement until the end of the season for a player Stendel coached during his time as Barnsley manager.

Thiam is a versatile attacker who can play at centre-forward, out wide or as a second striker. He is keen to move this month for regular first-team football and his representatives had previously contacted a number of English sides.

His preference is to remain south of the Border but Hearts are not giving up hope that he will agree to head to Scotland.

A potential Hearts deal for Wolfsburg's Charles-Jesaja Herrmann has not been ruled out despite the German's club's reluctance to let the teenager leave. He worked under Stendel as a youth player in the Hannover 96 academy and the coach remains a huge admirer.

Herrmann is a Germany Under-19 internationalist who can operate anywhere across the front line and is also seeking regular games at senior level. He is currently part of Wolfsburg's reserve squad.

Stendel wants more reinforcements before the window closes after signing forwards Liam Boyce and Donis Avdijaj permanently, plus the versatile Toby Sibbick on loan from Barnsley.