Hearts manager Craig Levein’s squad overhaul is not yet finished after holding talks with former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Sean Clare.
Levein has already signed eleven players during the summer transfer window but is hoping to persuade Clare to make the switch north of the border after the right-sided playmaker’s deal at Hillsborough expired in June.
The 21-year-old, who was recently linked with Celtic and Rangers, met Levein and was given a tour of Tynecastle and the club’s Oriam training base earlier this week.
But it is understood the Clare is still weighing up his options.
Clare made 26 appearances on loan at League One side Gillingham last season before returning to the Owls in January and making five appearances for Wednesday during the second half of the campaign.
The London-born player also spent a temporary spell at Accrington at the start of 2017.
Levein is also thought to be keen to sign Kevin Silva after the goalkeeper impressed on trial.
The 20-year-old American, who was recently on the books of US college side Rutgers Scarlet Knights, has played in matches against Arbroath, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South.
Silva would be expected to act as a back-up to summer recruit Zdenek Zlamal.
Levein, meanwhile, insists he is closer to knowing his strongest starting eleven after watching his team fall to a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Doonhamers on Wednesday evening.
Hearts play Forfar in a warm-up clash on Saturday before taking on Cove Rangers in the Betfred Cup next Wednesday.
Levein said: “We’re starting to finalise what the starting eleven will be going into the Betfred Cup.
“There is obviously more competition for places. Some players did themselves some good against Queens, others maybe not so good.
“I’m just watching in training and watching in games and we’ll settle on the team after Saturday.
“There’s a final chance for some of the boys to impress at Forfar on Saturday, for sure.
“We’ll see how that goes then we go up to Cove next Wednesday and that’s the start of it again. I can’t wait.”
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