HEARTS manager Csaba Laszlo believes experience is the key as he sets about rebuilding his side for next season.
Robbie Neilson, Christos Karipidis and Bruno Aguiar have all left Tynecastle on freedom of contract, leaving significant gaps in the Hearts squad.
Laszlo will meet majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov in Lithuania next week to discuss potential
replacements and he will be seeking some tried-and-trusted names to augment the up-and-coming stars from the club's youth academy.
Ian Black has completed his move to Tynecastle from Inverness and Laszlo is also keen that the versatile Pole, Adrian Mrowiec, be re-signed, while former Scotland defender Maurice Ross, available on freedom of contract, and Aberdeen's Lee Miller have been linked with the club.
"We need replacements for Karipidis, Bruno, (Christophe] Berra and Robbie," Laszlo said. "I am not searching for talent, I need players with experience. I would like to have two other strikers with good experience.
"We have a lot of talent and I don't think we must search for talent. The coaches from the academy have done a very good job in the past and we have a lot of good players from the academy. Now we must look for experienced players."
Meanwhile, former Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley has confirmed he has been offered the chance to return to Tynecastle from Celtic.
He said: "I'm not going to lie and say that there hasn't been interest from Hearts. There has been and it's something that appeals to me. I had four special years there and won the Scottish Cup in 2006. The fans were great for me and I have never forgotten that. It is very flattering that Hearts would like me back.
"I've got so many happy memories of my time at Tynecastle and Csaba Laszlo has done a great job in his first season, they finished third without Csaba spending much money.
"But I don't know what's going to happen. I've got a few options and I'm not ruling out anything."
