BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson is eyeing Northern Ireland international Liam Donnelly as he targets defensive reinforcements.
Donnelly, 20, was previously on the books of English Championship outfit Fulham and made 12 appearances for Crawley Town during a loan spell last season.
The young centre-half made his international debut against Chile in 2014 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old and has been given the opportunity to impress Neilson and win a deal at Tynecastle.
Donnelly played the full 90 minutes yesterday as a second-string Hearts side slipped to a 3-1 defeat against Dunfermline and he will continue to train with the club next week, at which point Neilson will decide whether to table an offer to the free agent.
Neilson said: “Liam has been in training with us for a few days and he has done well and did okay against Dunfermline.
“We will have a look at him in the next couple of days and make a decision on him.
“Jordan [McGhee] has gone down to Middlesbrough so we would like to get another one more in and we are definitely looking at Liam and we’ve had a couple of others put to us.”
An Andy Geggan brace and a low drive by Joe Cardle condemned the Jambos to a 3-1 defeat in Fife, with Dario Zanatta netting the consolation for the visitors.