Levein insists Hearts need up to 10 new players

HEARTS manager Craig Levein admits he will rip up his squad this summer to ensure there is no repeat of this season’s struggle to finish in the Premiership top six.

The former Scotland boss is planning a “significant” overhaul and is wanting to add as many as 10 fresh faces during the close-season.

Last Friday’s derby defeat at Hibs all but ended the Gorgie outfit’s European hopes, and sixth-placed Hearts also have work to do in the three remaining pre-split games to ensure they finish in the top half.

There will be space for Levein to manoeuvre, with the loan deals of Steven Naismith, Demi Mitchell, David Milinkovic, Connor Randall and Joaquim Adao all expiring in May, while new Scotland callup Jon McLaughlin, Aaron Hughes and Prince Buaben will also be free agents.

Levein, who replaced Ian Cathro last August, said: “There will be quite significant changes this summer. There has to be. I can’t do what I want to do with what I have got just now.

“We started our recruitment process in January so we are well down the road with quite a lot of things.

“It can change, but somewhere between seven and 10 [new players]. We need to calm down and get a core in the team that plays every week.

“I’d rather do an overhaul over two windows than four because I want to get to the point where we have a secure base to build on.

“I was really pleased with the recruitment in January but there will be a shuffle again because what Ian and I want are two completely different things.

“Everywhere I’ve been I’ve had to ship loads of players out. It’s important to understand that there’s a way I want my team to play. At this moment in time we don’t have everything I need to do that.”