Joe Wright faces Hearts wait over Riccarton training stint

Persistent injury issues have so far prevented the former Doncaster Rovers defender Joe Wright joining Hearts for pre-season training.

The central defender is still hoping to take up an invite to Riccarton as he works on his fitness after more than a year on the sidelines.

Hearts agreed terms to sign him in May 2021 before he suffered serious knee and ankle damage in Doncaster’s final game of the season against Peterborough United.

That ended prospects of moving to Scotland at the time and he has spent the intervening period recovering. Hearts remain interested in looking at the player and the offer to train with their squad remains open once he feels ready.

Wright attended a match at Tynecastle Park near the end of last season and held talks with the club hierarchy about a potential route back into football this summer.

All concerned hoped he would begin some gentle training at Riccarton this month but to date that has not materialised. The player is eager to resume his career over the coming weeks.

Hearts arrived in Spain for a pre-season training camp on Friday and hope to sign another central defender despite the captures of Lewis Neilson from Dundee United and Kye Rowles from Central Coast Mariners.

They are in the market for a right-sided centre-back to add to their squad, with a central midfielder, two attacking midfielders and a striker also high on manager Robbie Neilson’s priority list.

Winger Alan Forrest joined the Edinburgh club, while left-back Alex Cochrane and midfielder Jorge Grant have also agreed terms.