On Sunday it will be the 12-month anniversary of Heart of Midlothian's first signing of the 2023 summer transfer window. This time around, with three weeks until the first game of the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership season, the club have brought in seven players.

The squad is in a healthy shape with depth in all areas. Priority positions have been filled and no key players have been whisked away. Yet.

Does that mean, as things stand, the transfer business is complete? Not quite. Hearts are keen to have their finger on the pulse of the transfer window at all times, monitoring players and their status.

"There is nobody we're desperately saying, 'We are going to do that'," Steven Naismith said. "I think we are at a point where we've improved, we've identified areas where we have wanted to improve, we've done it and we've done it quickly. All that helps more for the European games.

"Will we sign more players? Potentially. Will players leave? Yes. We're not sitting here desperately going, 'We need to do this, this and this'.

"In every area, we've got players that we've identified that might be somebody for us. Whether that be we think, 'Aye, let's get them' or whether we think, 'Right, somebody has moved on and we need to replace'."

One area that has been a discussion amongst fans has been the defensive midfield or No.6 position. Beni Baningime signing a new deal meant it was no longer viewed as a priority and it currently provides Macaulay Tait with an opportunity.

Naismith said: "It's not an area we are now prioritising saying, 'Right, we need to fill that like we did need to at right-back'.

"But if you are looking around the squad I would say there is Beni and Macaulay who are two out-and-out 6s for me. It's probably an area that going forward we need to look at at some point and you never know what could happen. But if the window shut tomorrow I wouldn't be concerned that we've not signed a six."

Speaking to the club's new recruits over the past week, there was a common thread, the importance of the first meeting with Naismith. It is a two-way dialogue where questions can be asked from both sides and the player is shown not only what they can do for the club but also what the coaching staff and club can do to help take their game to the next level.

So, what goes into them?

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"The elements of it are pretty standard," Naismith said. "What they are coming to - it is what it is. It's the way we are, the way we play, the way we do it. For every player, that part is very similar. We talk about the club in general, the demand, all the things I think are relevant. Those meetings are set up months before having meetings with players.

"The reason you are interested in somebody is because you put in your homework and look into them. You see where they fit. While that process is going on, you're effectively building what you will be telling and showing the players.

"There is the bit about being in this team, what's expected of you, what type of player they are individually, what kind of person I am, the coaching staff, what kind of person they are. It touches on it all. The last thing I want is for us to sign somebody and then one side or the other sits three months later thinking, 'This isn't really what I expected.' That just shouldn't happen.

"It's an honest conversation. If they don't like what I see, they are better hearing it now and going, 'This isn't for me.' That works vice-versa as well.

"I'm not selling anything. I'm literally having a conversation to say, 'This is us, this is what you will come to. I think I can make you a better player because I don't think you are good enough at X, Y and Z, I think you are really good at this and that's why you will help us.'

"It gives everybody a nice feeling of whether it will work or not."