Hearts reportedly on the verge of second summer signing with move for central midfielder

The 22-year-old is said to have knocked back the offer of an improved contract from the A-League outfit and instead continue his career in Europe.

The Australia under-23 international is primarily a defensive midfielder who can also play as a No.8. He would add competition to the likes of Beni Baningime, Peter Haring and fellow countryman Cammy Devlin after Hearts decided to sell Orestis Kiomourtzoglou to German side Greuther Fürth earlier this month.

If Hearts can get a deal over the line, Nieuwenhof would the club’s second signing of the summer transfer window after a deal was completed for ex-Hamilton Accies and Norwich City goalkeeper Michael McGovern on Friday. The 39-year-old arrives on a one-year deal with an option of another.

The Tynecastle side were officially the last SPFL team to announce a signing in the current window and fans are getting increasingly anxious over the perceived lack of movement from their favourites.

However, sporting director Joe Savage sought to calm any fears with an insistence that further new signings would be arriving in the Capital sooner rather than later.

He told Hearts TV: “Our recruitment team has been working round the clock this summer and will continue to do so in order to find and bring in the right players for this club. We have many irons in the fire at the moment and I’m confident that our magnificent supporters won’t have long to wait until we add even more quality to the group.”