Looking down on Heart of Midlothian during their pre-season camp in Tenerife at the T3 training complex, there was an attacking drill that involved full-backs and attacking midfielders. The most notable participant was Aidan Denholm.

The 20-year-old, in the second group of four to go through the exercise, was playing as a right-back. 

It is not an uncommon role. Steven Naismith used him in that position during training last season prior to Denholm making his Scotland Under-21s debut as a wing-back. Come Saturday's friendly with Leyton Orient, he replaced Daniel Oyegoke at half-time in the full-back position.

That decision was "a bit of both" in terms of new signing Gerald Taylor not having joined up with the squad until Monday and Denholm being viewed as an option at right-back with Nathaniel Atkinson and Toby Sibbick both set to leave the club.

Adding versatility to his arsenal can only be a positive, opening up doors for more minutes on the pitch.

"I think he is a midfielder but he's intelligent and I think he's got the all-round attributes that he can play there," Naismith explained. "I encourage most of the young players to try different positions because, if you can play three or four positions, there's more chance of you getting a game.

"He has been really receptive to it and wanted to learn. He showed in Saturday's game that there were loads of good moments. That energy to get up and down the pitch, he's got that comfortably. I think he can play both positions but ultimately I do think he is a midfielder."

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During pre-season, Naismith confirmed he has kept Denholm at right-back to provide him with a bit of consistency.

He could return to the midfield berth now that Taylor signed and is set to be involved against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. In addition to Oyegoke, Naismith now has three options at right-back or wing-back. A position that was a priority this summer. 

"That was partly the personnel that was out there but also I do see it as a good opportunity for him," he said of Denholm training at right-back. "He learns from it and can focus on that position rather than jumping between positions in training sessions.

"It's down to his intelligence. He understands fundamentally what you need to do in attack and defensively, and when you're vulnerable. He's someone who can develop that as a secondary position."