Craig Levein lays out Craig Wighton plans as Hearts striker returns to training

Craig Wighton's Hearts career has been blighted by injury. Pic: SNS

Recurring injuries have hindered Wighton since he arrived from Dundee 12 months ago but he hopes to return to first-team action this month.

He was back training with the first-team squad at Riccarton earlier this week following a knee complaint. However, the 22-year-old finds himself at the back of the queue for forward places in the team. Steven Naismith, Conor Washington, Uche Ikpeazu, Steven MacLean and Aidan Keena are all in front.

“It’s good to see Craig back in training,” Levein told the Evening News. “He has shown his ability on occasions, he just needs to believe in himself a little bit more. I think he has really good ability and he is intelligent. He hasn’t really had a fair crack of the whip, mainly through being unavailable because of injury.

“Now he is further down the pecking order because that’s naturally what happens when you aren’t playing. I’m hopeful he can get a wee run now and that he will help us at some point. We need to get him back up to speed so he might be back playing in a couple of weeks.”

Levein added that Wighton has found life difficult at times due to his injuries since joining Hearts. “He is a nice kid and he’s a little bit disappointed at not being available for selection,” said the manager. “He hasn’t had his troubles to seek with knee injuries. It hasn’t been easy for him under those circumstances.”