Kenneth Vargas will improve on his goal tally from his first season as a Heart of Midlothian player as he develops a greater calmness in front of goal.

While it took the Costa Rican until November to open his account for Hearts, he impressed having initially joined on a loan deal from Herediano in his homeland. 

It was a deal that was made permanent, Vargas penning a five-year deal in March. The 22-year-old would end the campaign with nine goals.

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith believes there is more to come from the forward who won over fans with his attitude, work rate and tenacity. Vargas was used in wide and central attacking roles and could have hit double figures.

He explained to Hearts Standard that Vargas will become more prolific, realising when he enters the box with the ball he is in control.

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"With Kenneth’s one, the structure of the deal, identifying him, getting him here and how it played out was really as we had hoped," he said.

"It probably wasn’t as we expected, but it was perfect in terms of he came in and we pushed him early on. That was probably unfair of us but with the way the squad was, he was needed. But what we had seen and what we thought he could do – in terms of being robust and using his body well, using his pace – we thought he could do it. He came in and done that and then he progressed.

"I think in the first two months I had said to the board, ‘Look, we need to be signing Kenneth permanently because he is only going to get better throughout the season’.

"I think the areas where he can improve on, I believe will happen naturally over time with his age. He is still lacking that wee bit of calmness in the final third. We have an understanding that anytime you’re in the box, the forward is in control and not the defender because they might give away a penalty or they have to block their own goal.

"With that calmness, he will definitely convert a lot more of his chances."