Miguel Pallardo in talks over Hearts future

Miguel Pallardo has made just 13 starts for Hearts this season

His contract expires in a few weeks and there have been no discussions on an extension. As a result, he must assess other possible options for next season.

The 29-year-old is spending the weekend at home in Spain whilst pondering his position. He wants to play regularly but has only managed 13 starts in the current campaign. The recent arrivals of Don Cowie and Perry Kitchen have increased competition for central midfield roles, and Pallardo is now debating where his future should lie.

He will meet his representative, Clive Jagger, for vital talks on what to do if Hearts do not come forward with a contract offer. Spanish striker Juanma Delgado shares the same agent and is also back in Spain for a break as there are no Scottish Premiership fixtures this weekend.

Jagger admitted Juanma is perfectly content in Edinburgh but said Pallardo’s future is uncertain. “We are looking at other options depending on what might or might not happen at Hearts,” Jagger told the Evening News.

“Miguel wants to be playing. He’s 29 and not getting any younger so we need to find something solid for the next few years. I’ll be meeting both Juanma and Miguel. I’ll talk with Miguel about possibilities, what he’d like and what he wouldn’t like over the next few years.”

Juanma is now a much-improved player as his first season in Scotland draws to a close. He joined Hearts on a three-year contract last summer after leaving the Greek club Kaloni but took several months to adjust. He scored both goals in Hearts’ recent 2-1 win over Aberdeen and Jagger said the player now feels more settled.

“There’s nothing to discuss with Juanma, other than the fact he is feeling a lot happier now,” he continued. “He realises he has improved a lot over the last few months and Robbie Neilson, the Hearts coach, has helped enormously with that.

“Juanma is over the moon because it was hard on him to begin with. It was a big reality check for him in Scotland because he had to work a lot harder. Juanma is chuffed with his situation at the moment and with himself.”