Hearts are hoping to strike a deal with Charlton to sign striker Tony Watt on a permanent deal.

Watt, 22, was loaned to Hearts earlier in the summer and will spend the 2016/17 campaign with the Scottish Premiership club.

The former Celtic and Standard Liege forward has played six games for Hearts so far this season, impressing head coach Robbie Neilson.

And Neilson is already talking about making Watt’s stay in Scotland permanent – although the boss admits the ball remains in Charlton’s court.

He told the Edinburgh News: “We’d love to keep him for another year and I think Tony would like to stay as long as he can.

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“He’s starting to get settled up here and his family is here, but the cards all lie with Charlton on that one. We’ll try to get the best out of him this season and then try to put a case forward to take him for another year.

“There’s no option in the loan deal. Tony was desperate to come back up to Scotland and he took a huge hit in his wages to do it, which is credit to him.

“He just wanted to come up and play football. He’s got another year on his contract at Charlton, so ultimately it’s down to them.”

Scotland international Watt signed for the Addicks in January 2015 but has endured a turbulent stay in SE7.

He was sent out on two loan spells last season and only made one appearance for the South Londoners in 2016.

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