Hearts have surged to second place in the Scottish Premiership after five matches, riding a run of four consecutive wins that has quieted early doubts following a turbulent summer at Tynecastle. The Edinburgh club came agonisingly close to ending a 60-year wait for a league title last season, only to fall short on the final day in a defeat to Celtic.
That disappointment triggered a wave of departures. Head coach Derek McInnes left, along with captain Lawrence Shankland, popular midfielder Cammy Devlin, and set-piece specialist Ross Grant. With so much experience walking out the door, many observers predicted a difficult transition period for the club, often described as a summer of "doom and gloom" in Gorgie.
Instead, new head coach Wouter Vrancken has overseen a swift and largely seamless rebuild, blending data-driven recruitment through Jamestown Analytics with a willingness to trust players who had limited opportunities last term. Vrancken was appointed roughly a week after McInnes' exit and has already made a strong impression despite facing challenging Champions League fixtures with what amounted to a largely new squad.
According to football analyst Preston, the early skepticism surrounding the rebuild has been misplaced. "The new manager comes in, with difficult Champions League games, and virtually a whole new team," Preston said. "It took time to settle. A lot of people made a judgement early on, but they've been proven wrong. The manager has been really good, his substitutions have been wonderful. This team will only get better, but the main thing is patience. They were so far ahead of where they wanted to be last season. It'll take three or four or five years to get to where they want to be."
Several new arrivals have made immediate impacts. Laurent Mendy, who began his career in England's North West Counties League with Macclesfield before progressing through Forest Green Rovers in the National League, has slotted into midfield in place of Baningime without disruption. Tom Renaud, signed from France's third tier, impressed early with goals against Benfica and Dundee United before an ankle injury interrupted his progress.
The departure of winger Alexandros Kyziridis, sold for a substantial fee to Turkey, opened the door for Josh McPake, who was playing League One football with Stirling Albion just two years ago. McPake's form has been strong enough to spark talk of a Scotland call-up. Calvin Miller, another former League One player who arrived from Falkirk in early 2024, has already scored four goals in maroon this season.
Replacing Shankland's goals has proven trickier, but Hearts have found a solution from within their existing squad. James Wilson, who struggled for minutes under McInnes and spent the second half of last season with Tottenham Hotspur's academy, has scored four goals in his last six appearances and could add to his single Scotland cap this autumn.
Other squad members have also stepped up under Vrancken, including Blair Spittal, who has gone from a substitute role to team captain within a matter of months. Kerjota, whose winning goal against Dundee marked his first for the club, appears to have finally settled after needing time to adapt — a pattern that sporting director Graeme Jones reportedly discussed with recruitment partners, who indicated new signings typically require around six months to bed in. Winger Rogers Mato, who barely featured after joining in January, has emerged as a genuine attacking threat from the bench, while midfielder Tomas Magnusson, signed for a modest fee last season, has seen his value increase substantially.
Not every gamble has paid off — Sander Kartum departed on a free transfer, Elton Kabangu has yet to feature in a matchday squad, and record signing Ageu has made only seven appearances. Still, the successes have significantly outweighed the setbacks.
"You don't come to watch clean sheets, you come to watch goals, and one thing you're going to get with Hearts is goals at both ends," Preston said. "I like the way [Vrancken] speaks. He's captured the imagination of the fans, and they're thoroughly behind him after a difficult opening. It's great entertainment."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.