Hearts are in need of a boost to get their season up and running as we near the January transfer window.
New manager Neil Critchley has improved performances on the pitch since replacing Steven Naismith but only to an extent and they still find themselves 11th in the table.
The Jambos still have an unbalanced squad and are lacking in attacking options, both at centre forward and in the wide areas.
After regular starting strikers Lawrence Shankland and Kenneth Vargas, they have 17-year-old James Wilson and Liam Boyce, with the latter seemingly not fancied by the new manager.
Hearts target new striker
It is therefore no surprise that Hearts will be looking to sign a striker in the January transfer window.
The Tynecastle club will be enlisting the help of Tony Bloom’s company Jamestown Analytics to use data in their player recruitment and it seems centre forward is top of their list.
According to the Edinburgh Evening News, they are exploring several options across the UK and further afield as they look to add pace and a goal threat at the top end of the pitch.
Previously red hot Shankland has only scored one last season as the burden of being the club’s chief goal threat finally seemed to get too heavy with others not lightening the load for him.
Vargas and Wilson both have two, the same as centre half Frankie Kent, while the team’s top scorer is midfielder Blair Spittal with three.
Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlay previously teased a transfer target and said there was one the club were looking very closely at.
He also suggested there would be a clearout come the summer with a number of players out of contract and also hinted some could leave in the winter window.
Hearts defender Kye Rowles has interest
As mentioned, there are likely to be departures from Tynecastle in January.
Boyce, wide man Barrie McKay and midfielder Jorge Grant are three who are coming to the end of deals and who could generate interest for an early exit. Boyce and McKay have rarely featured under Critchley while Grant has often been used as a sub.
Defender Kye Rowles is someone who is reportedly attracting interest.
The Australia international signed a five-year deal with Hearts last year and that runs until 2028.
That means the Jambos would only consider a sizeable fee for the 26-year-old, who is being considered as a potential transfer target by ‘several clubs’.
Rowles has been a regular in the team and if sold the Jambos would look to sign a replacement centre half.