Hearts were busy in the January transfer window as they tried to make an improvement on the start to the season.
The Jambos were disastrous at the beginning of the campaign and, despite an upturn under new boss Neil Critchley, there was an is room for improvement.
They targeted several areas of the team and first was the addition of speedy striker Elton Kabangu on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise, with an option to make it permanent, to address the lack of pace up front.
Jamie McCart followed on a permanent deal from Rotherham as did fellow centre half Michael Steinwender from Swedes IFK Varnamo, Norwegian midfielder Sander Kartum and back-up left-back Harry Milne.
Out the door were Kye Rowles to DC United, Liam Boyce to Derry City, Daniel Oyegoke to Hellas Verona and Malachi Boateng to Plymouth Argyle.
Hearts had targeted wingers and held talks with Kilmarnock’s Danny Armstrong and Kazakhstan international Islam Chesnokov but neither could be completed.
It means there is still likely to be more work to do in the summer.
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Critchley looks ahead to Hearts summer transfer window
The way recruitment works at football clubs nowadays means that they are always looking ahead to future windows anyway.
And Critchley admits plans will soon start to take place for Hearts’ summer business.
While not taking his eyes off the games they have, it’s important to look at this in advance.
He told the Edinburgh Evening News: “The squad is the squad now to the end of the season and I’m really happy with that.
“But part of our ongoing strategy is always to succession plan and look forward. In the next few weeks we’ll be reviewing what we’ve done in January but also looking ahead to the summer and that process never ends.
“I can’t take my eye off the ball of winning games of football. The immediate aim, but we also have to have an eye on where we want to go in the summer as well.”
Critchley on Hearts loanees
Hearts also sent a number of young players out on loan, Macaulay Tait heading for Livingston, Callum Sandilands to Montrose, Bobby McLuckie to Stenhousemuir and Ethan Drysdale to Partick Thistle.
That adds to Liam McFarlane at East Fife and Harry Stone at Ayr United.
On the decision to send some out, Critchley said: “I’ve obviously been part of youth development myself for a number of years and I’ve coached myself under 23, under 21 level and there’s no linear journey for young players.
“Some players will play in the B team and go to the first team. Some players will go straight to the first team.
“Some players will go out on loan. It’s how we manage each individual’s journey, their process. It’s not the same for everyone and I think we’ve got good experience internally with the staff that we’ve got of managing young players’ pathways.”