Hearts are “very hopeful” that they will sign Craig Wighton from Dundee.
Assistant manager Austin MacPhee faced the media today, with boss Craig Levein recovering from emergency hospital treatment, and he confirmed that the transfer is still on track.
Hearts re-signed Demetri Mitchell on loan on Tuesday and are “very hopeful” of signing Wighton, said MacPhee.
And Levein has been involved as MacPhee and owner Ann Budge and others within the club put the final touches to the deal.
“I have been speaking to him every day and working with Ann on the transfers,” MacPhee said. “He is fully abreast on all the developments.”
Former Dundee United manager Levein is keen to stay involved during a busy week for the league leaders.
MacPhee, who will take control during Saturday’s game against St Mirren, said: “He’s recovering well. He’s home now and he’s in very good spirits and we are all delighted that that’s the case.
“Craig will pick the team at the weekend. At individual moments within the game, myself, Liam Fox, Jon Daly, Paul (Gallacher), Andy Kirk in the stand, we will all make those individual decisions but I will have talked through every eventuality with him.
“I don’t know what he will be doing at 3pm on Saturday but the main thing for all of us is we put in a performance that he will be proud of, of course a performance that allows us to win the game, and also put in a performance that makes him feel that he can relax about his recovery.”
MacPhee revealed positive news quickly allayed major fears within Tynecastle after Levein took unwell early on Monday morning.
MacPhee added: “It was a massive shock for us all. Ann Budge phoned me on Monday morning and when you first hear news about someone you are close to, it’s shocking news.
“The best thing is that a couple of hours later we had positive news and he was already on the road to recovery. He is itching to get back. He’ll be back as soon as he can.”
