Hearts have been open about looking for reinforcements in January.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that they could do with it as they languish in 11th place in the Scottish Premiership.
CEO Andrew McKinlay teased some January transfer activity and admitted the Jambos were looking ‘very closely’ at one player in particular.
And Hearts have also entered into a partnership with Jamestown Analytics, the data analysis company owned by Brighton supremo Tony Bloom.
That will assist the Tynecastle club with their January shopping as they look to use data to improve their recruitment.
Ryan Stevenson on Hearts transfer needs
Hearts have scored one goal in their last three games and five in their last six.
They’ve created good chances in games against Celtic, Rangers and Germans Heidenheim with nothing to show for it, so the top end of the pitch is clearly an issue.
It has already been reported that Hearts are looking to sign a striker, with previous talisman Lawrence Shankland struggling along with Kenneth Vargas.
Former Jambos midfielder Ryan Stevenson feels they need to sign TWO frontmen along with two pacey wingers.
He said in the Daily Record: “I’ve been beating the drum on what Hearts need for the last 12 to 18 months. Two new strikers. And I still think we need that.
“But we also need pace out wide. That would be the four signings I’d be looking for in January; two strikers and two pacey wingers. That could completely change the dynamic.
“Look at Musa Drammeh. It was a great finish from him after coming off the bench against Celtic at the weekend, and if that was me, I’d be champing at the bit.
“I’d be chapping the manager’s door and saying ‘I want to start.’ But his best position is the No.10, where he needs players running off him.
“I don’t think we have that just now. He needs space to work in, and we’re not dynamic enough to give him that. We’re very one-paced.”
Hearts should drop Lawrence Shankland
Shankland remains Hearts’ number one striker despite his recent struggles.
The 29-year-old is low in confidence and has just one goal this season after bulging he net over 50 times across two campaigns.
There aren’t a lot of other options for manager Neil Critchley at the moment but Stevenson has urged him to drop him for the Conference League trip to Cercle Brugge on Thursday.
He added: “It’s Cercle Brugge on Thursday, and I think it’s worth dropping Lawrence Shankland for that one. He wouldn’t want to hear it, but I wouldn’t play him, for his own benefit as much as anything.
“No-one can sing Lawrence’s praises higher than I have over the last 18 months or so. I’ve been there where managers have dropped me and told me ‘it will give you a bit of freshness, it might help you.’ As a player, I would have told the manager to f*** off.
“You want to play every single game. Lawrence will be the same. But detaching myself from that, I think it would be the best thing.”