Hearts close to appointing Wouter Vrancken as new head coach

Heart of Midlothian are reportedly on the verge of appointing Wouter Vrancken as their new head coach, with the Belgian having been interviewed for the role. The 47-year-old left Belgian side St Truiden this summer after leading them to a third-place finish in the Pro League.

According to the Hearts Standard, Vrancken, along with former AZ Alkmaar boss Maarten Martens and Rene Hake, who has coached at Feyenoord and Manchester United, was interviewed for the position. He is now the favourite to take over at Tynecastle.

Transfer activity at Tynecastle

• French club Lyon are in talks with Hearts over a move for 26-year-old forward Claudio Braga, with the Scottish side hoping for a fee of around £8.6 million.
• Hearts are interested in Zwolle striker Koen Kostons and are prepared to pay approximately £1.3 million for the 26-year-old.
• Defender Michael Steinwender is in discussions with German second-tier side Bochum, with Hearts set to make a profit on the six-figure fee they paid for him.

Rangers are also active in the market, reportedly demanding £20 million for Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin, who has attracted interest from the Premier League, Serie A, and the Turkish Super Lig. Additionally, the Ibrox club are hoping to secure winger Vaclav Cerny from Besiktas for around £5 million, while they are in the race to sign Tottenham winger Mikey Moore on loan.

The appointment of Vrancken, if confirmed, would signal Hearts' ambition to build on last season's performance, with the club also looking to strengthen their squad through several potential signings.