Peter Haring and John Souttar on course to start pre-season training with Hearts

Injured pair due back in August in huge boost for Tynecastle club

Hearts' Peter Haring (right) and John Souttar are fighting back from injury.

Peter Haring and John Souttar are on course to return from injury and begin pre-season training with Hearts at the start of next month.

The injured pair are recovering from groin and Achilles problems respectively, but manager Robbie Neilson is hopeful they will take part when sessions restart at Riccarton.

Haring is back in his native Austria rehabilitating after a minor tidy-up operation. The midfielder spent the last 13 months sidelined by persistent groin and pelvic issues.

Centre-back Souttar ruptured an Achilles in February for the second time in his career but is recovering well and is now back running.

Hearts’ competitive season will not start until October unless a legal appeal reverses last season’s relegation and restores them to the Premiership.

Neilson is hopeful both Haring and Souttar will be 100 per cent fit and ready for matches by the autumn.

“I’ve been speaking to Peter two or three times a week,” the manager told the Evening News. “He had a minor tidy-up operation and is doing his rehab over in Austria right now, just very basic exercises. Hopefully he can progress that.

“His hope is that he will be with us on the first day of pre-season – not doing full training but part of training with a view to being ready for the first game of the season.

“I know it’s been a long time since he played but he seems quite positive about it. I know he has had a few operations so we are hoping this is the final one that gets him back playing again.

“It would be massive if that happens. We are hopeful for John as well. Getting the two of them back in would be brilliant, they are two top players.

“John is out running at the moment. He is pretty similar to Peter. We expect him to be ready to train in August, again not full training but getting involved in part of it. Then, hopefully, he will be 100 per cent ready for the new season.”

Hearts still need permission to begin training as only Premiership teams are allowed based on Scottish Government rules following the coronavirus shutdown.

It is expected they will be allowed to resume sessions early next month. Coaching staff are planning a restart date for players of Monday, August 3, at the moment.

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