HEARTS midfielder Olly Lee has been told he is free to find a new club as he edges closer to the Tynecastle exit door.
Lee, 27, only joined the Jambos from Luton Town on a three-year contract last summer and made a good impression in his debut season for the Edinburgh side.
He scored six goals in 41 appearances for the capital club last term, including a spectacular winner in December’s 1-0 derby triumph over rivals Hibernian. However, he ultimately fell out of favour in the second half of the campaign and could be set to depart Tynecastle.
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Bolton midfielder Luca Connell completes move to CelticLee, who is in the process of recovering from the knee injury which kept him out of last season’s Scottish Cup final, has now been deemed surplus to requirements and boss Craig Levein is willing to grant him a return to England.
Levein confirmed: “Olly and I are on the same page. We are talking about him moving back down to England if he can find something.
“That’s a chat I’ve had with Olly and his agent so we will see what happens.
“He still has a contract here so it’s not like we are forcing him out the door.”
Meanwhile, key midfielder Peter Haring has not reported for Hearts’ pre-season training camp in Ireland as he battles back from the fitness woes which plagued him last season.
The combative Austrian played through the pain barrier for several months prior to undergoing surgery to cure a hernia complaint in January, leading to a two-month absence.
Upon his return, Haring was effected by a niggling pelvis issue but declared himself available for the Hampden defeat to Celtic.
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Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Ryan Moon trains with HibernianLevein decided that further strength and conditioning training in Edinburgh will be more beneficial to the 25-year-old than the journey to Dublin, which sees the Jambos face Shelbourne at Tolka Park this evening.
Northern Ireland internationalist Michael Smith will also miss the trip as his partner prepares to give birth, while Steven Naismith will also be absent because his loan deal from Norwich technically expired on June 30, and he is yet to sign a permanent deal with Hearts.
Naismith finished last season as Hearts’ top scorer in the league with 10 goals and three assists to his name, despite missing lengthy spells of the campaign through injury.
Rory Currie, Callumn Morrison and Aidan Keena will also miss out as they work on their fitness at home, but precocious defender Aaron Hickey, 16, has been included in the group after his impressive showing in the Scottish Cup final against Celtic at the end of last season.
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