Hearts closing in on defender Steinwender

Neil Critchley revealed Hearts are closing in on a new defender as Michael Steinwender prepares to join the club.

The Tynecastle side are looking to strengthen their centre-back options following long-term injuries to Stephen Kingsley and Frankie Kent and the exit of Kye Rowles to DC United this week.

Hearts have agreed a fee with Swedish club IFK Varnamo to sign Austrian defender Steinwender, with the 24-year-old expected to finalise his move to Edinburgh over the next week.

"Close, close, yeah," Critchley said of the move for a new defender. "We're talking to someone, we're pursuing something, but nothing's done.

"Until it is, I won't be going any further speaking about that. I'm not going to mention his name because that would be wrong."

Hearts have already signed Belgian forward Elton Kabangu and defender Jamie McCart this month.

They have been linked with a move for 25-year-old Kazakhstan winger Islam Chesnokov, who plays for Tobol Kostanay in his homeland, but Critchley said: "No, that's not close (to being completed).

"We get linked with numerous players during January. We're doing a lot of work behind the scenes. We're speaking about a lot of players.

"We've identified areas of the pitch we want to bring players in. Obviously, there's two weeks of the window to go, so let's see where we are in 14 days' time."