Steven Naismith provides Hearts transfer update on possible ins and outs this summer as Baningime hint dropped

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith

The Hearts head coach has provided a transfer update.

Steven Naismith expects some Hearts squad movement this summer as he insists incoming plans won’t be knee-jerk.

The club have announced that midfielders Peter Haring and Andy Halliday, plus goalkeeper Michael McGovern, will all move on at the end of their deals this summer. Hearts have enjoyed a strong Premiership season that will finish in third spot, and they end the campaign at home to Rangers on Saturday afternoon.

Full attention will soon turn to the summer transfer window and pre-season ahead of next term which involves Europa League or Europa Conference League football. The boss knows there are players who may attract interest off their strong campaigns this term but he admits he isn’t too sure right now how many more outgoings there could be.

When asked if he expected more departures, Naismith said: “Who knows. I think the squad overall has contributed at different levels. There will definitely be some players sitting wanting to have played more minutes.

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“As with every summer, players will look where they are within their squads and what options they have got. Us as a coaching staff want to constantly improve. There will be movement in some respects but I have not got an idea what that will be.”

Beni Baningime was not named on the list of Hearts stars leaving the club come the summer, with his current contract expiring at the end of this season. The midfielder has already revealed he’s made his contract choice and Naismith is hopeful of a deal being done.

He said: “For the type of character Beni is, he wants to make sure he makes the right decisions. He’s been in the Premier League in England, suffered some setbacks with poor loans, had a bad injury. He’s took his time, looked at what he’s got, what he might have elsewhere, and the signs are he is going to sign so that would be fantastic if that comes off.”

There will also be a focus on improving the already impressive squad Naismith has at his disposal. There won’t be a huge influx of players coming into the club in the transfer window but they will go for players they think can help them in the long run.

Naismith added: “Not mass amounts. It will depend on if players move on in terms of we need to replace them. We’ve had a good season and players have done well. I am not naïve to think players won't attract interest.

“Like everything at the club, we need to wait and see. We will only do what is right for us and on the flip of that, even if we are strong in an area but we feel there is a player there that in the coming years may help us and progress us, that is something we would do and manage the squad size throughout the season.

“This isn’t going to be a knee-jerk reaction. We have been putting in loads of work from last summer to this summer. We know where we want to improve.”