There are several options at his disposal and Wouter Vrancken will soon have to pick who starts for him in his first game as Hearts head coach.
The Jambos face Sturm Graz in Austria next week during the first leg of their Champions League second round qualifier that precedes a return meeting at Tynecastle seven days later. A range of pre-season friendlies against St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Arbroath and Rayo Vallecano have been used to build fitness and determine who best fits the Belgian’s tactical plans.
New signings have been made in plentiful supply but the likes of Lawrence Shankland, Cammy Devlin, Marc Leonard, Beni Baningime, Michael Steinwender and Frankie Kent have all departed the team who finished second in the Premiership last season. There are plenty of players for Vrancken to choose from but who will get the nod when action gets going? We have assessed the current options in Gorgie to try and work out who will fit into what could be the club’s strongest XI as things stand right now. Here are our selections.
5. Sitting midfielders
The 4-2-3-1 system Vrancken likes to play comes with two sitters. McEntee has been a regular throughout pre-season and has looked most at home here. He is the most natural combination of physicality and passing ability so he can be stuck in. Hearts are still looking for a defensive midfielder profile with Laurent Mendy a target but Tom Renaud looks more likely in terms of a starter now. Did some of the digging against Livingston but McEntee would afford him a licence to get forward too. Blair Spittal can play here too. | SNS Group
6. Right midfield
He played largely on the left for Falkirk but Calvin Miller has shone all across the final third in pre-season since coming into Hearts. Vrancken wants him out wide despite lining him up as a number 10 in some aspects of the friendly matches but the flanks are largely where he'll be based. Rogers Mato has featured out here and Sabah Kerjota is still pushing for involvement. | SNS Group
7. Left midfield
Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis still looks to be a key attacking threat in this Hearts team. One of the poster boys for how successful Jamestown Analytics-guided recruitment can be. The Jambos have several options out wide with Miller able to come out here too alongside Josh McPake. | SNS Group
8. Number 10
Miller has played here and Spittal is as reliable a number 10 as you can hope for at Premiership level. Guendouz is being eyed as bring an additional level of x-factor after coming in from Beerschot. Has clear technical class but not afraid of doing some dirty work too which will be required. Dovetailing him with Spittal as he adapts to Scotland could prove fruitful. | BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images