Kenneth Vargas to set Hearts racing but Steven Naismith urges patience over Costa Rican flying machine

Feb 15, 2024

Vargas has agreed a move to Tynecastle to bolster the Jambos' attacking options.

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Steven Naismith is confident speed machine Kenneth Vargas will get Hearts racing - even if the Costa Rican might not be ready to get off to a flier in Gorgie.

The striker has agreed a move to Tynecastle with the Jambos currently going through the exhaustive work permit and visa process before welcoming the 21-year-old on board. Naismith is hopeful that will be finalised sooner rather than later to confirm the CS Herediano frontman as the fifth new arrival of the summer hot on the heels of Japanese forward Kyosuke Tagawa.

Hearts have cast their recruitment net far and wide this summer and technical director Naismith reckons Vargas will add pace and goals to the Jambos frontline as well as bringing real value to the squad. But he’s also warned fans not to expect the South American to hit the ground running as he acclimates to his new surroundings more than 5000 miles from home.

Naismith said: “Kenneth is very direct, he's a goal threat and he's got pace. He is an exciting young player. This will be his first time playing in Europe so there will be time needed to make sure he is settled. But I think he can bring real value to the squad.”

Japan international Tagawa is in Edinburgh already and expected to be confirmed in the coming days. Unlike Vargas, the FC Tokyo forward will find a compatriot in the dressing room and Naismith hopes having Yutaro Oda in the building for the past eight months will help his latest new arrival settle.

He said: “Hopefully but we experienced it over the last two months of last season with Yutaro and getting our point across. We’ve got an interpreter we can lean on but Yutaro has been very good with learning his English and getting involved and embracing it so it will be the same.”

With the Premiership curtain raiser at St Johnstone only days away, Naismith moved to ease concerns over the fitness of Beni Baningime and Liam Boyce who both sat out Sunday’s friendly defeat to Leeds United at Tynecastle having played against Mansfield last Tuesday.

The duo will be like new signings for head coach Frankie McAvoy after lengthy spells out with ACL injuries and Naismith insists both are in “a good place”.

He said: “The hard part is that they’ve been out for so long but they’ve both come through pre-season really well. Boycie came off last midweek just because he was feeling fatigued and you don’t want to push it.

"Beni got 90 minutes which was probably longer in terms of playing and being competitive in the game. We wanted to give him the 90 minutes to push on, he was burst by the end of it but I think it was more valuable than replacing him and having more of a threat in the game.

“He is in and around the squad, available for selection, Boyce will come back into training on Tuesday as well. We’re still monitoring them, you can’t let them just come back into a preseason then shoot up or they’ll break down but they’re both in a good place.”

Meanwhile the Tynecastle technical director is relishing getting his teeth into European football next week when the Jambos will face the winners of the Conference League second qualifying round clash between Rosenborg and Belfast shock troops Crusaders. The tie is finely poised at 2-2 going into the second leg in Norway tomorrow night.

And Naismith said: “I think both teams have their own qualities. From watching the game, two different styles, they are going to cause you different threats.

“Going into the second leg both teams will think they have a chance so we’re not going to sit here thinking it’s more likely to be one than the other. With the contrast in styles it is really 50/50 so we’ll anticipate it and enjoy the draw once its finish on Thursday.”