| With 8,500 season tickets sold already, Hearts are confident that they can bring in players to entertain their home crowds. The club hope to be able to announce the first of several summer signings next week. Director Sergejus Fedotovas announced at the club's annual general meeting that they were making progress as Jim Jefferies bids to revamp his squad for next season. Fedotovas said: "I am glad we have a good working relationship with the manager. We are on track to bring in new signings and I hope that early next week we will be able to announce our first signing. And I look forward to adding one or two more after that."
Jefferies has scope to bring players in after telling experienced players Christian Nade, Michael Stewart and Laryea Kingston that they would not be offered new contracts. That followed a decision by Jose Goncalves to refuse a new contract and leave Hearts on a free transfer, a development that has further hardened the club's resolve to show more prudence in the transfer market. Fedotovas said: "We have to take care the way we approach signings. We will still be spending on the squad but the emphasis will be on the academy as you know what to expect from players who have been here for five and six years and have kept progressing. This is better than guessing what players will give you, even though this is done with the benefit of research. We have had to lose certain players, and certain managers in the past believed they would bring a positive result but that didn't materialise. Working with the youngsters will be different but Jim Jefferies is known for his expertise in this area." |