Foundation of Hearts would take three elements under consideration regarding any possible investment into the club.

Heart of Midlothian have held talks with Brighton & Hove Albion owner and chairman Tony Bloom over a deal that could see the club's recruitment revolutionised and potentially result in the businessman becoming a minority shareholder.

The discussions centre around Bloom's data specialist business Sportlizard and the algorithm that has helped transform the South Coast club and establish themselves as a Premier League side. In the summer window just past, only Chelsea spent more than Brighton on transfer fees in world football.

In simple terms, the initial involvement would see Hearts access that knowledge and insight with regard to player recruitment. In the future, Bloom could look to gain a possible minority shareholding, potentially within the next two years.

It has been in the works going back to last season and it is understood an external review of Hearts was carried out over the summer. Any deal would not see Hearts become a feeder club to Brighton.

Should the time come when a shareholding is considered it would need to be ratified by Foundation of Hearts, which is the club's majority shareholder, owning a 75.1 per cent stake, and its 8,000 members.

The organisation is not interested in selling any of its shares. Chairman Gerry Mallon recently confirmed to This is My Story podcast that FOH would look "long and hard any investment" while being wary not "to pass up something that could be very good, that could benefit the club".

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Any time the FOH board has discussed the prospect of investment, three elements are considered.

Firstly, any investment would need to be a "game changer" that elevates the club. There is no interest in selling a bit of the club for it to remain in the same position as it is now.

FOH would be against Hearts becoming a feeder club, developing players for a team that could simply take them away.

Finally, Foundation of Hearts' view is it should always be the majority owner of the club having fought to get Hearts into the hands of the fans after the Vladimir Romanov era which left the club on the brink.