It may appear like an impossible dream but Michael Steinwender hasn’t just set his mind on a title with Hearts - he’s after a double.

The Austrian defender’s admits he’s a man in a hurry after arriving last week on deal until the summer of 2028 and he’s laid out some bold ambitions. Six decades and more have passed since a league and cup triumph was achieved by the Tynecastle club but the 24-year-old insists there’s no shame in sitting the bar as high as possible during his time in Edinburgh.

He said: “I want to win titles as my ambitions are very high. Whether that’s the cup or the league but of course the best would be both. I think everybody in the team is quite ambitious. I think every professional football player has dreams and it would be not good to not have dreams and just to finish the league. I think everybody in our team has dreams and I will do everything I can to achieve them.”

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The versatile defender is in the frame to feature against Dundee this afternoon on Tayside after being paraded in front of the Jambos support at last weekend’s win over Kilmarnock and he claims his new club’s facilities are a far cry to what was on offer at his last port of call with Swedish top flight side IFK Värnamo.

Steinwender made a call to close friend and former Hearts striker Donis Avdijaj to gain an insight into what to expect in Gorgie and he revealed it’s been a five star experience compared to his previous club. He said: “I spoke with Donis about the club and how are they set up and everything. He told me that everything is on a top standard here. From the physio rooms, to the regeneration, to recovery, this is top class.

“I can tell you what I had before. I had a dressing room that was in a bench press and that was it. Here you have two gyms, you have all the stuff for recovery. In Sweden it was not like that, we didn’t have the recovery stuff, we didn’t have a gym.

“Every per-cent of what you’re doing in the gym or at recovery helps you so hopefully having these facilities can help push me on.

The former Austrian youth international is a product of Rapid Vienna’s youth system and began his senior career with SV Mattersburg and has seen service at St Polten and TSV Hartburg and he believes it’s prepared him for what’s coming his way as he adapts of the physical aspect of the Scottish game.

He said: “I think it was good preparation to play in Austria. When I was very young, I always played with the older ones, so I always had to go into the duels as hard as I could. When you look at teams in Austria and how they are performing, also now Sturm Graz in the Champions League, when they played against Red Bull Leipzig, they won. In Austria, the quality is also really high.

“I’m very happy to have played there for four or five years and then made my move abroad to also get some experience in Sweden, where we also faced big teams like Malmo and Djurgarden.”

Jambos boss Neil Critchley could hand Steinwender a start at the heart of the Hearts defence after losing defensive stalwart Craig Halkett to a hamstring injury against Killie and the Austrian recruit has already put his hand up to take his bow.

He said: “I am fit so If the coach calls me up, I’m ready. But of course, you need to get time to know the teammates, how they are playing next to you, and also the communication and the tactical aspect. I’m ready, but of course we also want to do it as safe as possible, as the coach also said, that we are not risking any injuries.”

Hearts will continue to work up until the last minute of the transfer window but boss Critchley insists he’s already content with the business he’s already done.

He said: “I’m happy with the work we’ve done so far. We have strengthen the squad but I never want to lie or promise anything.

“We are still looking and if we can strengthen then we will. We can add to the squad if we want to but only if we believe it’s right for the squad and the club but nothing is at the stage where anything is imminent.”