Derek McInnes does not expect Hearts to have Rogers Mato signed and registered in time for Sunday’s Premiership meeting with Celtic. A transfer has been agreed between the Edinburgh club and Mato’s current team, FK Vardar in North Macedonia. Hearts are now processing paperwork for his UK immigration but it is doubtful whether that will be finalised in time for him to play this weekend.

Nobody at Riccarton is ruling the Ugandan international winger out at this stage as Tynecastle officials try to accelerate the process. Mato would add pace and a goal threat to the Hearts team but McInnes, the club’s head coach, admitted he is more likely to make a debut next week against Dundee United.

“I think it’s going to be tight [for Sunday],” he said. “The good thing is the club have done well to negotiate and broker in the fact that he’s coming for this window. This gives us a huge lift. Obviously there’s a huge emphasis on the game on Sunday and we’d all like to have as many options as possible. Getting Rogers over would be brilliant for us but I’m planning for without him at the minute – unless somebody tells me definitively he’s going to be here.

“It’s good that he’ll be in. If not for Celtic, he’ll be here for Dundee United. We’re probably like that with one or two things at the minute. I’d like to know my team for the weekend by the time it gets to Wednesday. I’m trying not to think about it too much because I don’t know who’s all going to be available in terms of whether we can bring new players in or there’s still too many variables with the injuries at the minute. We’ll have a better idea at close of play on Friday. All being well, we’ll still have Saturday to work towards the game.”

Coaching staff are excited at the prospect of seeing the 22-year-old in maroon. “When you watch him, the biggest thing is pace and confidence,” said McInnes. “He can play across the front line. He’s got a goal threat in him. Obviously, we’ve signed him but he’s got a good goal return in his own league at the minute. He’s still only young which is a pattern with a lot of the signings we make. I think what you’ll get is a boy who’s confident in his own ability, and that real raw pace that can unsettle people. I still think we lack a bit of that pace in certain areas of the pitch so I think he’ll give us that.”

In addition to Mato, Hearts are working to sign a new striker and a midfield player as soon as possible. They are without captain Lawrence Shankland and midfielder Cammy Devlin for the next six to eight weeks through injury. Fellow midfielder Beni Baningime also starts a two-game suspension this weekend. Others in that position are still regaining full fitness after injuries, including Oisin McEntee and Eduardo Ageu.

McInnes acknowledged the difficulty of losing integral players. “I think it’s difficult. I get the whole thing about Lawrence and Cammy. They’re two long-term injuries,” he said. “We’ve also got a few injuries at the minute which causes a wee bit of concern. When you know you’re without two players who have had a big part, it’s nearly impossible to get like-for-like. There’s not another Lawrence. I’ve always felt that if you can’t bring somebody better than what you’ve got, somebody has to bring something a bit different.

“Whether that comes from within the building or outwith, it’s an opportunity. When Lawrence is a captain, arguably your best player, strikers at the club see that and they’ve got to try and overcome that. Sometimes when that player isn’t there and available anymore, they’ve got a chance to step in and prove their worth. We don’t have another player like Lawrence, so I think it’s up to others to show that they’re the type that can help us.”

Landry Kabore, Elton Kabangu and James Wilson are the three contenders to take Shankland’s attacking place beside Claudio Braga against Celtic. “Having James, Elton, Claudio, Kabore, these are all options for us,” said McInnes. “Some can lead the line better on their own than others, but they can all play with a partner. It’s not as if we’re short of options. We just need to hope that whatever option we turn to, particularly for Sunday, it gives us that goal threat and that ability to get us up the pitch.”

Sunday will likely come too early for Ageu to return from a hamstring problem. He has made only three substitute appearances since signing for Hearts last August, the last of which was on 9 November. “He’ll be training Friday,” said McInnes. “I’d love it not to be too early for him because I’m loving what I’m seeing from him and I’m loving the prospect of him. It’s weighing this up. Because it’s Celtic, there’s a lot on it, but we’ve still got loads of games and loads of points after it. The intention was for him to have a proper full week’s work ahead of Dundee United, as it was with Oisin. While trying to solve a problem for us at the minute, I need to watch I don’t want to create a bigger problem for myself.”

Leadership on the field will be key for Hearts against Celtic, particularly without driving forces like Shankland and Devlin. “I think, day-to-day, Lawrence and Cammy will still have that influence,” explained McInnes. “It’s something I’ve spoken to them about and still want to have. Obviously, on the training pitch and on a matchday, I think we’ve still got a lot of good voices there. We’ve spoken long and hard about [Craig] Halkett and [Stuart] Findlay and [Frankie] Kent and [Jamie] McCart and these types. I think you’re always looking for that. I think I’ve got that, to be honest. I’ve got that anyway, so I’m not too overly worried about that lack of influence from them.

“Obviously, it’s important that we take the challenge on. It’s obviously easy to sit and feel sorry for ourselves but I think it’s important that we just rub our hands and get on with it. These things are sent to try you. We had a period of the season where we had very few injuries, consistent selection and everything seemed very straightforward. It’s not always like that for a manager. You’re conscious that you’ve got to deal with certain challenges and there’s no doubt this is one of those.”

Another decision the Hearts management team face is who plays in goals. After some goalkeeping heroics against Dundee and St Mirren last week following Alexander Schwolow’s red card at Dens Park, Craig Gordon was on the bench for Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against Falkirk. The Tynecastle side lost on penalties but it is likely that Schwolow will keep his place against Celtic. McInnes was giving nothing away, nonetheless.

“It’s not difficult at all, to be honest. I think it’s brilliant,” he said. “It’s a tough decision in that sense, but I’ve got two very capable goalkeepers, experienced goalkeepers. Even Ryan Fulton, over the last couple of weeks, has been outstanding in his training. I’m very fortunate I’ve got good ones to choose from. I’d rather have the tough decision of good options. As I’ve been a manager, sometimes you’re thinking: ‘Who am I going to play?’ With goalkeepers, it’s such a key position, but both lads have been great for us in recent weeks.”

Regardless who is on the pitch for the hosts, Hearts are keen to harness another sellout Tynecastle crowd. “There have been a number of games, particularly at Tynecastle this season, when it’s been brilliant,” said McInnes. “I felt the game when we beat Celtic 3-1 last time out was great. I thought the crowd were ready for it. There were a lot of people saying we were favourites for that game, and I didn’t buy into that. We were still the underdog but we had a lot to do. I thought we carried ourselves brilliantly as a club that day. On the pitch, off the pitch, I thought it was a huge effort and we need that again.

“I get that there will be a lot of people feeling doom and gloom, concerned about injuries and Celtic maybe getting us at a good time because of that. But don’t be like that, we’ve got so much going for us. There’s nobody in the building feeling that. Certainly, I can’t have anybody from a Hearts persuasion feeling that turning up on Sunday, on the park and off the park.

“I need total belief in what we’re doing. That trust has clearly been there this season, we need that to continue. Some times are a bit more challenging than others, but we’ll be ready for the game on Sunday. It might not be the team that people would have expected to go out a couple of weeks ago, but the team will be ready and whatever team is picked for Hearts, the intention is to go and win the game.”