Summer 24 Transfers - Vargas signs 5 year deal ( updated )

[Pasquale for King]

7 minutes ago, Wilson said:

Dhanda and Spittal signing makes Fraser looking less likely? Not that he's earned it yet.

Thankfully 

[boag1874]

12 minutes ago, cosanostra said:

Great news to wake up to.

They all seem like solid signings that should hit the ground running and improve us.

Seems a lot like Fraser, Grant and Cochrane will be leaving. Hopefully we can get some money back into the club for the ones we own.

 

I'm hoping Dan Philips is next but that'll likely mean saying goodbye to Beni.

 

I'm guessing we'll spend some serious cash in the summer on a centre half and striker. We also seriously need a proper, permanent right back.

 

Great to see Naismith shaping his squad.

I think Cochrane & Beni will be away. Beni hasn’t signed and we’re close to the end of the season now so I can’t see it happening..

Cochrane we should look to cash in on unless we extend his deal, I love him but he isn’t irreplaceable like Shanks

[Ricardo Quaresma]

1 hour ago, BigAlim said:

I don’t think the board will want to sell Shanks unless a very good offer comes in, selling him for 1 or 2 million would just piss off the support and I think they’re aware of that

 

Agree

 

1 hour ago, Bongo 1874 said:

🙏. Can anyone edit that,just to see what he would look like wearing our strip.

 

[OTT]

16 minutes ago, Wilson said:

Dhanda and Spittal signing makes Fraser looking less likely? Not that he's earned it yet.

 

Frasers been hugely disappointing. 

 

Grant has been far from a roaring success, so it wouldn't have taken much to oust him, yet he's utterly failed to do so. 

 

Maybe a case of not being up to speed, but TBH been a million miles away from impressed in him. When you have a loanee in with a view of signing, you want to see something which makes you optimistic. Playing like he's already been assured he's getting a contract. Been very poor. 

[wavydavy]

48 minutes ago, cosanostra said:

Great news to wake up to.

They all seem like solid signings that should hit the ground running and improve us.

Seems a lot like Fraser, Grant and Cochrane will be leaving. Hopefully we can get some money back into the club for the ones we own.

 

I'm hoping Dan Philips is next but that'll likely mean saying goodbye to Beni.

 

I'm guessing we'll spend some serious cash in the summer on a centre half and striker. We also seriously need a proper, permanent right back.

 

Great to see Naismith shaping his squad.

 

Read an article today where Levein was saying how good a player he is and came up here to get his career back on track and will probably go back South. Product of Chelsea and Watford Youth and is only 23 so a fee would be required if we signed him although it would not be a lot.

 

I like him and he could be a decent replacement for Beni if we can tempt him.

Edited March 21 by wavydavy

[cosanostra]

Fraser has been a weird signing. A guy who you'd think would be playing his heart out to try and land a permanent move back in Scotland should be showing a shed load more than he has. He looks kind of sad and uninspired. He must know that this hasn't worked out and he's blown his chance of staying.

[cosanostra]

1 minute ago, wavydavy said:

 

Read an article today where Levein was saying how good a player he is and came up here to get his career back on track and will probably go back South. Product of Chelsea and Watford Youth and is only 23 so a fee would be required if we signed him although it would not be a lot.

 

I like him and he could be a decent replacement for Beni if we can tempt him.

 

So a development fee for the 2 years he's been there? Can't imagine that would be a whole lot. Maybe 100k or something. My only St Johnstone supporting fan friend reckons he's quality. Young, athletic and hungry too. I think he'd be a great replacement for Beni.

I think if Beni was going to commit, he'd have done it by now.

[wavydavy]

Just now, cosanostra said:

Fraser has been a weird signing. A guy who you'd think would be playing his heart out to try and land a permanent move back in Scotland should be showing a shed load more than he has. He looks kind if sad and uninspired. He must know that this hasn't worked out and he's blown his chance of staying.

 

Agree and he has looked as if he doesn't want to be with us although he is saying he wants to stay in Scotland. Maybe he will go back to United if they get promoted and they can afford him.

 

He will be no miss based on what he has shown so far. He has made Jorge Grant look half decent so shows how unimpressive he is.

[gregzy2k7]

Very smart business so far from the Club,

 

All 3 players we have signed on pre contracts look like really solid signings,

 

Getting business done early really bodes well for next season too,

 

I feel like we should maybe look at one of the Centre halfs from Killie too, one of Mayo, Deas or Findlay would be a good addition to the squad imo and hopefully would replace the inconsistant Sibbick,

 

I really like Cameron at Dundee but obviously that would involve paying a decent transfer fee, 

 

Any decent right backs in our league ? 

 

Seems like we are going back to targeting players in Scotland, which is good to see.

 

 

 

 

[132goals1958]

1 hour ago, BehindYou said:

Clearly haven’t noticed our league form after European games the past couple of seasons have you?, bigger the squad the better and especially with players who are proven in this league. Even better we have started hand picking the better players from smaller clubs 

Not only that but it is now a squad game where invariably 16 players participate at some stage in the proceedings. Tactically rotation game by game has long taken over a first eleven on the team sheet.

[wavydavy]

Just now, cosanostra said:

 

So a development fee for the 2 years he's been there? Can't imagine that would be a whole lot. Maybe 100k or something. My only St Johnstone supporting fan friend reckons he's quality. Young, athletic and hungry too. I think he'd be a great replacement for Beni.

I think if Beni was going to commit, he'd have done it by now.

 

That sounds about right not a lot of money for a good young player. I was very impressed with him in our first game of the season in Perth and he was excellent against us a Tynecastle also.

 

At 23 he might fancy a 2/3 year deal with us before a more lucrative move South when he is 26.

[feedthefox]

1 hour ago, Nelly Terraces said:

Agree 100% on McGowan, he's their top scorer & top for assists this season as well, great player who would improve us.

I've been going on about McCowan for nearly 2 seasons, find it so disheartening that we have quality players right in front of us who would make us better and yet we'd rather take a chance on somebody from overseas who invariably costs more. Couple of seasons ago we could have picked up McCowan for next to nothing instead of spunking money on the likes of Kio just so somebody can look clever.

[Jambo92]

Business getting done early is always nice, fine balance to strike though in terms of the squad size and not stock piling players.  

Seen in recent times, Aberdeen and Hibs signing large volumes of players and can spoil the harmony of the group.  

 

 

[wavydavy]

3 minutes ago, gregzy2k7 said:

Very smart business so far from the Club,

 

All 3 players we have signed on pre contracts look like really solid signings,

 

Getting business done early really bodes well for next season too,

 

I feel like we should maybe look at one of the Centre halfs from Killie too, one of Mayo, Deas or Findlay would be a good addition to the squad imo and hopefully would replace the inconsistant Sibbick,

 

I really like Cameron at Dundee but obviously that would involve paying a decent transfer fee, 

 

Any decent right backs in our league ? 

 

Seems like we are going back to targeting players in Scotland, which is good to see.

 

 

 

 

 

I like this also. There are some decent players around the Scottish game and as we are showing affordable. Nothing wrong with looking further afield but probably more risky.

[tazhearts]

I'd like to see us sign Ryan Strain on a pre contract as well.  Although unlikely until he had recovered from injury.

[pettigrewsstylist]

4 hours ago, Bongo 1874 said:

We have just secured two players for feck all too.

 

That can be improved and potentially sold on.

 

100% behind this strategy.

 

Top it of with an experienced central midfielder that's 28.

 

And Savage can stay for life 🤣😂

He needs to find a couple of RBs first 😆

[cosanostra]

For 20 years this forum has been full of guys desperate to start signing the best players from the smaller clubs. I'm happy to see Naismith start to build a squad with players who are the best at their clubs with the potential to improve. 

We can now look at spending some cash on key position players like a striker and a centre back of some quality.

I'm massively hopeful that we pay the juice needed to get Danny Armstrong from Killie. I think he's a superb player and if he costs £800k or something, we can probably pay it. Especially if Cochrane leaves. What a statement of intent and ambition that would be.

[wavydavy]

1 minute ago, feedthefox said:

I've been going on about McCowan for nearly 2 seasons, find it so disheartening that we have quality players right in front of us who would make us better and yet we'd rather take a chance on somebody from overseas who invariably costs more. Couple of seasons ago we could have picked up McCowan for next to nothing instead of spunking money on the likes of Kio just so somebody can look clever.

 

We are on the same wave-length.  I have never really understood this principle either. Fair enough if there looks like there is nobody that would improve our squad but it seems now there all of a sudden is.

 

Does that come from Naismith asking for these players specifically or has Savage changed his mind?

[DC_92]

4 minutes ago, feedthefox said:

I've been going on about McCowan for nearly 2 seasons, find it so disheartening that we have quality players right in front of us who would make us better and yet we'd rather take a chance on somebody from overseas who invariably costs more. Couple of seasons ago we could have picked up McCowan for next to nothing instead of spunking money on the likes of Kio just so somebody can look clever.

 

Last season Dundee were in the Championship and McCowan only started 24 games out of the 44 times he was in the matchday squad. Impressive that you knew he was good enough for us then.

[wavydavy]

4 minutes ago, tazhearts said:

I'd like to see us sign Ryan Strain on a pre contract as well.  Although unlikely until he had recovered from injury.

 

So would I. I think he is far better than Atkinson certainly for the Scottish game. I know some seem to think that Atkinson keeps Strain out of their National side and assume he is the better player but it's what suits our style of play that matters to who we sign.

[OTT]

20 minutes ago, gregzy2k7 said:

Very smart business so far from the Club,

 

All 3 players we have signed on pre contracts look like really solid signings,

 

Getting business done early really bodes well for next season too,

 

I feel like we should maybe look at one of the Centre halfs from Killie too, one of Mayo, Deas or Findlay would be a good addition to the squad imo and hopefully would replace the inconsistant Sibbick,

 

I really like Cameron at Dundee but obviously that would involve paying a decent transfer fee, 

 

Any decent right backs in our league ? 

 

Seems like we are going back to targeting players in Scotland, which is good to see.

 

 

 

 

 

Re RBs - Nope. Weirdly it seems a bit of a problem position for Scotland, Aye, there is Nathan Patterson and Hickey, but we are very thin on RBs vs LBs, Christ, even we have Kingsley whose got an outside chance of making the Euros.

 

If we could somehow get him, I'd love Eli Dasa but he'll be on a good wedge in Russia. I kinda hope we look within Europe for a RB, maybe the Netherlands or eastern Europe. 

 

On the Killie point, Findlay isn't technically a Killie player, but his contract still has another year to run. If Oxford are done with him, maybe worth putting a bid in - he's back in Scotland for a reason I assume. Not the best with the ball at his feet, but TBH I prefer defenders that aren't complete bombscares defensively. 

[weegie jambo]

Midfield and defence looks good but we really need to get a top notch striker or two if we are to survive after Sharkland.

[Armageddon]

Delighted at Blair Spittal 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[BackOfTheNet]

2 hours ago, 1874robbo said:

I’ll drive him down free of charge.

I’ve been guilty of some (on purpose) bad patter over the years, but it has to be said the “I’ll drive him” patter (regardless of who it’s about) is some of the worst…

[Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine]

Updated depth for next season:

 

 

Still a massive hole in the Beni role if/when he leaves, and at RB we need someone better than Natty. It's a bit busy in the middle of the park other than that - would expect this means Grant is on his way after this year.

 

Excellent signings though. We've begging for Hearts to do exactly this for years - will be really interesting to see how it turns out.

[martoon]

2 hours ago, jamboinglasgow said:

 

As rivals you are always going to look for the negative side (for them) to your rivals signings, but if Hibs had signed up Dhanda, Penrice and Spittal, I would be thinking that annoyingly they have signed well. Its like last summer Aberdeen signing Devlin, thought it was a smart signing.

 

As would I, bud.

 

Three very good signings and the window isn't even open yet.

 

The dotnut Hibby, poor deluded muppet that it is, seems to believe that Hearts have completed our signing business for this unopened window.

 

Feckin half heads.

 

 

[Carter]

There's definitely a lot to be said for adding guys who know the league and who've performed well at what could respectfully be considered as smaller clubs. There's also much to be said for retaining players who are core and central to maintaining consistency. That's undoubtedly the case with Kingsley and McKay, despite his injuries this season. Extending deals for both would be very smart business. 

 

Players in Scotland will know the level they're at and what they can aspire to achieve. Very few can move to either of the gruesome. You do get the sense we're far and away best placed as a club in Scotland to be picking up the better players domestically. We will surely be seen as a considerably better option than Hibs and Aberdeen at this time. 

[DG_HMFC]

3 hours ago, martoon said:

The dotnut thread is superb.

 

"Squad players, at best,

 

Cheap options,

 

Nowhere close to the keewality Hibs will bring in".

 

Apart from one smart post their delusion is spectacular.

 

It's nothing new with them. 

 

I would say our best sides throughout our history have been when we've signed the best players from other Scottish teams.

[henrysmithsgloves]

2 hours ago, Ricardo Quaresma said:

 

Agree

 

 

😂😂

[Hansel]

Great news. I've been posting that we should be signing Spittal for a wee while now. In fact, just today I was posting about it 😆 

 

 

[Jamboscanbevicius]

Delighted with this pre-contract business so far, and I think there are a couple more worth chasing still…

 

Dan Phillips at St Johnstone, Keanu Baccus and Ryan Strain at St Mirren, would all be good acquisitions IMO.

 

Beni will be hard to replace but this would be a good start, and would also fill gaps from Haring and Lembikisa. 

 

[Aussie Jambo]

5 hours ago, weegie jambo said:

Midfield and defence looks good but we really need to get a top notch striker or two if we are to survive after Sharkland.

 

[cosanostra]

Glad to see that the club haven't announced any of them yet out of respect for the players and their current league campaigns.

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

Delighted to see the club getting some business done early and also the fact it's guys who know the league and have done well in it

[Fxxx the SPFL]

I still have a gut feeling that Shanks will still be with us next season The Rangers will offer a pishy amount and hopefully we tell them to bolt. That would leave possibly an English championship club coming in for him. Then I think we’ll make him another contract offer and he signs. 

[WASTREL]

6 minutes ago, **** the SPFL said:

I still have a gut feeling that Shanks will still be with us next season The Rangers will offer a pishy amount and hopefully we tell them to bolt. That would leave possibly an English championship club coming in for him. Then I think we’ll make him another contract offer and he signs. 

My gut feeling is that he will wait to see what kind of Euros he has and assess what interest it brings and weigh that up against staying.  Its obvious Naismith is "tooling up" for Domestic and Europe challenges and he may like what he sees, as his captaincy has been a great factor this season.  I am resigned, sadly,  to seeing him gone this summer however.

[Leveins Battalion]

At home next season when teams are sitting in having a front 4 of Shankland,with Dhanda behind him and Spittal and Baz McKay either side is giving me  warm fuzzy feelings that I've not had since 2006 😍

[johnking123]

Clark 

 

Strain 

Kent

Dunne

Kingsley 

 

Armstrong 

Hoff

 

Dhanda 

Vargas

Forrest 

 

Expósito

 

Would do

[GinRummy]

Well this is exciting. Two signings I’m really happy at. Well done Hearts. 

[pettigrewsstylist]

11 hours ago, jamboinglasgow said:

 

I was thinking before that there will only be a few incomings (say six) this summer as we want to keep squad stability but I am starting to think Naismith is remodeling the squad.

Looking that way. It needs it tbh. More tempo, cahoonas  and imagination incoming it seems.

[DG_HMFC]

44 minutes ago, **** the SPFL said:

I still have a gut feeling that Shanks will still be with us next season The Rangers will offer a pishy amount and hopefully we tell them to bolt. That would leave possibly an English championship club coming in for him. Then I think we’ll make him another contract offer and he signs. 

 

He still has another year so he'll definitely be with us unless we get an offer we can't refuse. 

 

If we are able to increase our offer to Shankland I don't think he'd hesitate in signing a new deal because he's in the form of his life and playing his best football.

 

He's worshiped at Tynecastle, he's our captain, and he's back in the Scotland squad. He'll be playing in Europe, and our team will be a lot better next season, giving him more opportunities to score.

 

I just hope the club offer him.an improved deal he's happy with.

[jambotony]

We were in for Lyle Cameron a few years back and he signed another contract at Dundee. I suspect he wasnt ready for the step up.. so Hearts were happy to let him sign but take the risk we could get him down the line.. that time is now, i would like the following

 

Armstrong Killie

Cameron Dundee

Mcgowan Dundee 

Campbell Luton 

Fuchs

 

[pettigrewsstylist]

9 hours ago, Carter said:

I think the Hearts Board will take the view that we cash in on Shankland, a player who has almost certainly informed the club he would like to try and further career elsewhere. Take the money and invest it across a few areas in the squad and believe we can still very much finish a strong third again next season, even without Shankland. 

 

The summer is the point where the realisable value for Shankland and Cochrane is at it's highest given their contract situation. Atkinson probably the same. 

 

Rowles might well stay another year before we look to cash in. 

Yeah, hard to see it otherwise tbh. The Penrice signing kind of suggests it. We wont carry 3 LB in squad. Presuming offer is acceptable.

[151]

7 hours ago, gregzy2k7 said:

Very smart business so far from the Club,

 

All 3 players we have signed on pre contracts look like really solid signings,

 

Getting business done early really bodes well for next season too,

 

I feel like we should maybe look at one of the Centre halfs from Killie too, one of Mayo, Deas or Findlay would be a good addition to the squad imo and hopefully would replace the inconsistant Sibbick,

 

I really like Cameron at Dundee but obviously that would involve paying a decent transfer fee, 

 

Any decent right backs in our league ? 

 

Seems like we are going back to targeting players in Scotland, which is good to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This.

 

Strengthen ourselves whilst weakening others. And players who have proven they can play at this level, and in Scotland where the football is fast and aggressive.

[pettigrewsstylist]

7 hours ago, wavydavy said:

 

We are on the same wave-length.  I have never really understood this principle either. Fair enough if there looks like there is nobody that would improve our squad but it seems now there all of a sudden is.

 

Does that come from Naismith asking for these players specifically or has Savage changed his mind?

Question i have been asking myself also. 

Suspect the shadow of last seasons collapse casts long and SN, quietly, wants more attitude/character.

[mud and mullets]

Since it became impossible to sign proven players from the OF like we did in the 80s, if you look at our cup winning and other good sides since then, we've always had a sprinkling of players signed from Scottish teams below us: Weir, McKinlay, McCann, Hartley, Cameron, Black, Barr, Grainger... so this feels like going back to basics to an extent after signing too many random "projects" in recent seasons. 

 

Great to see us add experienced attacking threat and goals to midfield with Spittal and Dhanda. Penrice allows us to maybe accept a decent offer for Rowles or Cochrane if we want to. Although we'll need a bigger squad for next season and assuming Fraser and Dexter will be off we've only really added one body so far. I hope we're looking at Connor Barron on a free too but he'll have options.

 

I'm in the camp of letting Shankland run his contract down and move where he wants with our best wishes at the end of next season rather than taking what would probably be a couple of million at most for him in summer. From his perspective that means he can concentrate on the Euros, establishing himself for Scotland and another year playing in Europe, which could be his last unless Celtic or Rangers want him.

[Dazo]

Great bit of business by the club and clearly the demands on the recruitment process by SN being met. Also the type of hard working players who will do well in this league as they have already proven. 

[DG_HMFC]

4 minutes ago, mud and mullets said:

Since it became impossible to sign proven players from the OF like we did in the 80s, if you look at our cup winning and other good sides since then, we've always had a sprinkling of players signed from Scottish teams below us: Weir, McKinlay, McCann, Hartley, Cameron, Black, Barr, Grainger... so this feels like going back to basics to an extent after signing too many random "projects" in recent seasons. 

 

Great to see us add experienced attacking threat and goals to midfield with Spittal and Dhanda. Penrice allows us to maybe accept a decent offer for Rowles or Cochrane if we want to. Although we'll need a bigger squad for next season and assuming Fraser and Dexter will be off we've only really added one body so far. I hope we're looking at Connor Barron on a free too but he'll have options.

 

I'm in the camp of letting Shankland run his contract down and move where he wants with our best wishes at the end of next season rather than taking what would probably be a couple of million at most for him in summer. From his perspective that means he can concentrate on the Euros, establishing himself for Scotland and another year playing in Europe, which could be his last unless Celtic or Rangers want him.

 

Exactly the point I made. 

 

Our most successful sides have included the best players from other Scottish sides.

[Benny Klack]

The number of experts writing off Fraser 👀

 

Been here 5 minutes, in and out the team and carrying an injury yet folks already made up their minds and willing to drive him down the road.

 

 

[Jambo in Bathgate]

7 hours ago, cosanostra said:

For 20 years this forum has been full of guys desperate to start signing the best players from the smaller clubs. I'm happy to see Naismith start to build a squad with players who are the best at their clubs with the potential to improve. 

We can now look at spending some cash on key position players like a striker and a centre back of some quality.

I'm massively hopeful that we pay the juice needed to get Danny Armstrong from Killie. I think he's a superb player and if he costs £800k or something, we can probably pay it. Especially if Cochrane leaves. What a statement of intent and ambition that would be.

Looks like we are building to give us a fighting chance in Europe and at Home. We have beaten a number of clubs to the signatures. I presume Hibs will be one of these. I’m sure having Naismith as manager helps here, he’s played regularly on two fronts when at Rangers and knows what it takes. Also the ethos of the club now unlike Hibs is a big plus. Like you, I’m sure money will be spent on transfers in the coming months. The only danger now is that clubs know we have money in the bank and will play hardball. Let’s hope that players such as Armstrong have release trigger values in their contracts.