Jorge Grant looked destined for the Hearts exit door at some point this year.
Now, the midfielder is back in the starting XI and enjoying himself and his future may not be set in stone after all.
After Neil Critchley’s appointment as manager, it took the 30-year-old two months to start a game. He was often used from the bench, but usually sparingly.
After impressing against Ross County despite Hearts’ late implosion, Grant has kept his place in the midfield as the team won back-to-back games for the first time this season, against Motherwell and Dundee United.
With his contract expiring in the summer, it was expected the Englishman would likely head back down south then, or even in January.
That now looks very unlikely for this month and an extended stay into next season may even become possible.
So while Critchley admitted a Hearts pair could leave, Grant seems to have ensured he won’t be joining them.
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Grant on Hearts future
Grant admits he had considered his Hearts future and whether he might have to leave this month in order to play more football.
Now that he is back in the side things have changed, but he accepts his future is still up in the air.
For now, he will concentrate on maintaining a standard of performance and continuing to enjoy his football.
He explained: “I think so, yeah. I think that I’m a footballer, I just want to play football at the end of the day.
“Now I’ve got that, obviously I don’t know where I stand come the future. It’s not really on my mind at the moment. I think that will happen in the summer, or whatever comes will come.
“I feel like I’m just trying to concentrate on my football and concentrate on helping the team and get us up the table.”
Grant on Critchley and deeper role
The former Peterborough man previously revealed Critchley had tried to sign him for Blackpool a few years back, so it was thought he could flourish under his management.
While that didn’t happen initially, the manager continued to chat to him and help him stay on his toes.
“The message was just to be patient,” Grant added. “He knew that there were loads of games coming up, and he felt like my opportunity would be there at some point.
“He just told me to be patient, keep working hard, be professional, and that’s what I tried to do.
“It’s been really good. Obviously, it was one of those things where I was coming on some games, not coming on other games. I felt like some games I came on and did well, and some games I didn’t get into the game and show what I can do.
“It was nice to start three on the bounce. I’m just happy to be back in the team and happy that the team are winning.”
Grant is seen as a more attacking central midfield player but has been operating in a deeper role alongside ball-winner Cammy Devlin.
He’s loving it as he went on: “Yeah, I really enjoy it. You definitely see a lot more of the ball. I feel, because you’re slightly deeper, I can definitely pass forward, which I feel is one of the better parts of my game.
“I try and pass forward as often as possible. Playing in that deeper role, I’ve definitely got more of the ball and can progress it a bit more.
“The message was exactly that, try and get on the ball as much as possible, try and pass forward as much as possible.
“Defensively – be solid, be in the middle of the pitch where things are for the first and second balls and stuff, and try and keep it solid in that middle area, and then the same for in-person.”