Hearts winger Calvin Miller will require surgery for a knee injury that will sideline him for approximately two months, manager Wouter Vrancken announced.
Miller sustained the injury during the first half of Hearts' Premier Sports Cup semi-final loss to Edinburgh rivals Hibernian on Sunday. He was seen leaving the stadium on crutches with his knee in a brace.
In addition to Miller, midfielder Tomas Magnusson also left the match with concussion. Vrancken stated that Magnusson is recovering well and is expected to return after the international break, adhering to concussion protocols.
The club is facing a significant number of unavailable players, with Vrancken confirming ten first-team members will miss Thursday's Conference League game against FC Thun in Switzerland. "It will be two months, let's say, depending on what the surgery says because it's a meniscus injury. It's a pity, but it is what it is," Vrancken said regarding Miller's prognosis.
Despite the mounting injury list, Vrancken expressed confidence in his squad, noting their motivation when asked to play out of position. "I'm always happy to see that the players we work with and play out of position are always motivated to do it. They know how much they help the team by doing it," he stated. "They have already done it for weeks. That's how we also get good results and good performances."
The team's aim is to secure a win against Thun, a side Vrancken described as having "a lot of energy, a lot of intensity."
Separately, Hearts announced a financial loss of £2.4 million, attributed to investments made for their return to European football. However, the club reported ongoing "positive" discussions regarding potential investment during the January transfer window and expressed optimism for a "significantly improved financial result" within a year.