Hearts boss Craig Levein willing to dip into transfer market if Arnaud Djoum and Olly Lee exit

CRAIG LEVEIN admits he could be forced to dip into the transfer market if Arnaud Djoum and Olly Lee quit Tynecastle.

The Hearts boss has previously suggested that his business would be complete when the club officially secures the signing of Steven Naismith, which is understood to be a formality.

The capital club have already snapped up Craig Halkett, Conor Washington and Jamie Walker this transfer window.

However, Levein acknowledges that he will need to weigh up his options if Cameroon ace Djoum, currently out of contract and featuring in the Africa Cup of Nations, does not pen a deal and out-of-favour Lee secures another club.

Asked whether the departure of that duo would send him searching for reinforcements, he said: “Yes, that’s a possibility. If both of those players were to leave, it would give me something to think about.

“Peter [Haring] is not playing right now, he has been left at home and would ordinarily be an automatic starter.

“I want to use Sean Clare more centrally, so it depends on a few factors. I just need to see what happens between now and the window closing.”

Levein was speaking in the aftermath of Hearts’ 7-0 rout of Shelbourne last night, with Steven MacLean, Jake Mulraney, Sean Clare, Craig Wighton, Dario Zanatta, Connor Smith and Christophe Berra all finding the net.