Craig Halkett is targeting a return to action for Hearts on January 1, 2027, after snapping his Achilles tendon in the final stages of last season. The defender, who has been in a moon boot since the injury, expects to be out of it this week and is optimistic about his rehabilitation progress.
Recovery timeline and surgeon visit
Halkett confirmed his goal: “I think the average is around seven to nine months out, but I set myself a goal to be back by January 1. If we can be there or thereabouts, I'd be delighted.” He flew to London to see a specialist surgeon who has worked on elite athletes including Usain Bolt, Neymar, and Ronaldo. “Everything went well. I was really happy,” Halkett said.
He added: “I've been in a boot for a while. I’m getting out of this next week, so the rehab's going really well. We've got a couple of new physios in the club who have been really good and everyone's really happy with it.”
Freak injury and emotional impact
The injury occurred in a match against Motherwell, where Halkett collapsed without any contact. “I went down and felt a big bang in my calf. The physio said it was probably just my calf, but then it was my Achilles,” he recalled. Remarkably, teammate Marc Leonard also suffered an Achilles rupture in the same game. The surgeon, with 35 years of experience, told them he had never seen two Achilles ruptures in one match.
The timing was especially cruel as Hearts were in a title race. Halkett admitted: “The first thing that goes through your head is that you've got to support the boys. I felt like I was having a good season and you're buzzing for everybody.” He watched the title decider against Celtic with Leonard, a game Hearts lost in the final minutes. “It was hard because you felt like it was supposed to happen. That's football, though. It's probably one of those runs that you never really get over.”
New manager Wouter Vrancken
Belgian manager Wouter Vrancken has taken charge at Hearts, and Halkett has been impressed. “He's been really good. He's been really impressive,” Halkett said. Vrancken brought Halkett to Spain for a training camp despite his injury, and has held several conversations with him. “I'm one of the longer-serving players now and it's important for him to get to know all the players. He's been keen to keep me involved.”
Halkett noted Vrancken’s tactical ideas will differ from previous seasons, but he has been careful not to change everything off the pitch. “He doesn't want to come in and change everything straight away. I think that's helped everyone settle in and stay focused on his football ideas, because that's where he really wants to make his mark.”
