Hearts boss Neil Critchley has revealed Kenneth Vargas still hasn’t returned to Scotland after international duty with Costa Rica.
The Hearts forward played two games against Panama for his country but is yet to return to his club ahead of the Premiership clash with Celtic on Saturday night.
Critchley says there has been a ‘complication’ with his flight back to Scotland but still has a chance of being involved in the weekend’s match.
Of course, Vargas has been in the news of late due to his comments suggesting he wants to leave Hearts and could do so in the January transfer window.
Vargas then claimed in an Instagram post that his interview with ESPN in Costa Rica was ‘misinterpreted’ and that Edinburgh is his home.
Critchley said he will have a conversation with Vargas regarding what he said and the situation will be dealt with internally with the club.
But the Hearts boss stressed the 25-year-old – who signed a long-term contract with the Gorgie side last season – is committed to being with the Jambos.
Speaking to the press ahead of playing Celtic, Critchley said: “I haven’t had a chance to speak to him yet unfortunately because there’s been a complication with his return flight, so he’s not yet back in the country.
“When he does return then I will be speaking to him, obviously. I don’t want to go into it in too much detail until I’ve spoken to him one-to-one, face-to-face, because I think that would be wrong.
“I read obviously his initial comments, but then I also read his initial response to his own comments and that’s something that as a club, myself, will deal with internally.
“He still has a chance of being involved this weekend, yes.”
Asked if anyone at Hearts has spoken to Vargas about a possible January transfer, Critchley responded: “No, not as far as I’m aware, no.”
“Kenny signed a long-term contract in the summer. I know he loves being here. I know he likes being here. I know he’s fully committed to being here.
“He has ambition. We should never suppress ambition but my findings of Kenny so far is he’s a boy who wants to learn and get better.
“He has things to improve and the best talking you can do is always on the pitch.”