17 goals and six assists in his first Scottish Premiership campaign. That is the number that has put Claudio Braga on the radar of clubs beyond Edinburgh — and the reason Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken is keen to hold onto him before Thursday's transfer deadline.

Asked directly whether the 26-year-old Portuguese forward would still be a Hearts player when the window closes, Vrancken did not shy away. "I think he will be here. I'll bet on this," the Belgian told reporters, though he was quick to add the caveat every manager issues at this time of year: "But you never know, so let's hope that we can keep him because he has a lot of value for the team."

Braga has already contributed two goals and three assists across 10 appearances this term — a solid early return for a player who arrived from the Norwegian second tier and immediately delivered in Scotland's top flight. That kind of trajectory does not go unnoticed, and Vrancken is under no illusions about the external interest his striker may be attracting.

Why staying could help Braga attract bigger clubs

Vrancken's argument for Braga remaining at Tynecastle is a pragmatic one. He believes a second full season — and potentially a change in tactical style — would actually broaden the market for the striker rather than limit it.

"The bigger teams are not looking for a player who does one good year in a certain style of play," said the Hearts boss. "When you can show yourself that it's not a lucky shot, that he is consistent in quality and can show himself in different ways of playing and in different positions, then the range of clubs will be bigger."

It is a credible point. A striker who proves adaptability across two contrasting campaigns at the same club carries more transferable appeal than one who thrives only in a specific system. Vrancken is essentially asking Braga — and any interested parties — to take a longer view.

A busy summer at Tynecastle

Hearts have reshaped significantly this window. Vrancken himself is new, replacing Derek McInnes in the dugout, and Braga's fellow new arrival, 18-year-old Faroese winger Aron Benjaminsen, became the club's 12th signing of the summer on Wednesday. With that level of turnover, stability in attack carries extra weight.

Vrancken was careful not to declare the squad settled. "I would never say settled because I know what can happen in the last seconds of such a window," he said. "We are discussing possibilities all the time, incoming, outgoing." The market, in other words, remains live right up until the buzzer.

Derby focus as deadline day looms

Whatever happens on the transfer front, Hearts face an immediate and pointed distraction: Thursday's Edinburgh derby against Hibernian at Easter Road. The timing — deadline day and derby day colliding — is far from ideal for a head coach trying to maintain squad harmony.

Vrancken at least has some good news on the team sheet, with left-back Harry Milne returning to fitness. Hearts won three of the four Edinburgh derbies last season, a record the manager will want to extend. "It's always a special game, especially for the fans, and we want to win it for the fans," he said.

Braga's involvement in that fixture, and the games beyond it, may well depend on what the next 48 hours bring. For now, his manager is willing to put money on him staying — which, given the alternative, is probably the right kind of public commitment to make.

Frequently asked

How many goals did Claudio Braga score for Hearts last season?
Braga scored 17 goals and added six assists in his debut campaign at Hearts, having joined from the Norwegian second tier.
When does the Scottish transfer window close?
The Scottish transfer window closes on Thursday, the same day Hearts are due to face Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby at Easter Road.
Who is Hearts' new head coach?
Wouter Vrancken, a Belgian coach, replaced Derek McInnes as Hearts head coach during the summer of 2025.