Neil Critchley keen to strengthen as Hearts linked with defender Jamie McCart

Neil Critchley was tight-lipped over Hearts’ pursuit of Rotherham defender Jamie McCart but the head coach did not rule having another new face signed in time for Sunday’s trip to Dundee United.

The 27-year-old former St Johnstone centre-back has reportedly agreed a pre-contract with the Edinburgh club and could make the move to Tynecastle this month if a deal can be struck with the Millers, where he has made 21 appearances this term.

Critchley refused to discuss McCart specifically, but did confirm Hearts are targeting defensive reinforcements after key duo Frankie Kent and Stephen Kingsley suffered long-term injuries last month.

“Well, I’m not going to mention any names of players at other football clubs, because that would be wrong and I’m not going to speculate on other teams’ players. But obviously we’re in the market to try and strengthen in areas of the pitch that we need strengthening,” he said.

“You’ve only got to look at our squad and work out the injuries that we’ve had and that’s what we’re in the market for.”

The Tynecastle side have already signed Elton Kabangu on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise and recalled defender Lewis Neilson from St Johnstone.

Asked if he expected any further new additions in before Sunday’s match at Tannadice, Critchley said: “Possibly, I don’t want to say yes or no because I’ve been in this situation before and ended up with egg on my face.

“Sometimes things you think are straightforward end up being complicated and the ones that are complicated happen very quickly, so we’ll see.

“There’s only two days days before we play Dundee United, we’re hopeful Elton will be registered for that game. Now, whether we get someone else in to be signed and registered before that game, it would be touch and go obviously just because of the time frame.”

A protest against the Hearts board ahead of Thursday’s match against Motherwell had been proposed by some disillusioned supporters on social media, but it failed to materialise.

Critchley was heartened by the vibe in the stadium as his team produced an impressive display to defeat Well 1-0 and ease their situation in the bottom half of the William Hill Premiership.

“I thought the support in the ground was brilliant, there were no murmurings, there was no frustration, they got behind the team, the team started well, we were on the front foot,” he said.

“This is a formidable place to come when everyone’s behind the team, and they make a massive difference to us.

“They’ve been brilliant to me since I’ve been here. It means a lot, because we’re not in a situation we want to be in, and we understand frustration, but we’ve got to harness that into making sure we become stronger as a club, and we move forward. We all want the same thing and we’ve got to be pushing in the same direction.”