Joe Wright faces Hearts wait over Riccarton training stint

The central defender is unable to take up an invite to Riccarton right now because he is still recuperating after more than a year on the sidelines.

Hearts agreed terms to sign him in May 2021 before he suffered serious knee and ankle damage in Doncaster’s final game of the season against Peterborough United.

That ended prospects of moving to Scotland at the time and he is still recovering. Hearts remain interested in looking at the player and the offer to train with their squad remains open once he feels ready.

Wright attended a match at Tynecastle Park near the end of last season and held talks with the club hierarchy about a potential route back into football this summer.

All concerned hoped he would be fit enough to begin some gentle training at Riccarton this month but so far that has not materialised. It is not clear when the player will be ready to resume his career.

Hearts arrived in Spain for a pre-season training camp on Friday and hope to sign another central defender despite the captures of Lewis Neilson from Dundee United and Kye Rowles from Central Coast Mariners.

They are in the market for a right-sided centre-back to add to their squad, with a central midfielder, two attacking midfielders and a striker also high on manager Robbie Neilson’s priority list.

Winger Alan Forrest joined the Edinburgh club, while left-back Alex Cochrane and midfielder Jorge Grant have also agreed terms.