The Costa Rican has had a bit of a tumultuous time so far at Tynecastle Park, impressive enough during his first season on loan to tempt Hearts into paying a six-figure fee to sign him up on a five-year deal in March last year.

Fast forward nine months and with two goals from 19 appearances to his name, and days after missing a second-half one-one-one in a 1-0 defeat at Ibrox with the score at 0-0, he made some comments to the local press while on international duty.

Back in November, his comments suggested he was on his way out of Gorgie, saying the club had described him as an “object of exchange”. He further suggested that he was looking to play at a higher level, prompting everything from ridicule to scorn when the comments made their way back to Scotland.

Vargas would later say he was taken out of context and team-mate Cammy Devlin came out in his defence.

The forward didn’t start in the Scottish Premiership for another month and was not named in another starting XI in the league until the final matches of the season when Liam Fox was interim manager.

Even after a decent end to the season, Vargas’ future remained up in the air, though some clarity was given this week – again while on international duty.

The 23-year-old is currently with the rest of the Costa Rican squad as they prepare to face Trinidad and Tobago in the World Cup qualifiers after missing out on Sunday’s 8-0 win in the Bahamas.

Whereas in November he saw his future away from Hearts, his latest comments suggest it is more likely he will remain in Scotland. Vargas said that he had spoken with new head coach Derek McInnes on the phone and revealed that Vargas is “in his plans” and “wants him to stay with them”.

With the growing possibility that Lawrence Shankland will be playing his football elsewhere next season, and with McInnes saying during his first Hearts press conference that he likes to operate with “four or five strikers”, it is no surprise that he wants Vargas to stay.

That’s not to say he will fill the hole left by Shankland, Hearts will not necessarily look for a direct replacement but will look from goals from all over instead. But what Vargas gives is another option through the middle.

When at his best, the Central American’s pace puts fear into defenders and he can run onto through balls or create space for others by stretching the play. He can also hug the touchline, again carrying the threat of his acceleration, with McInnes also a fan of wide players who can go around the outside and get to the byline.

Where Vargas has let himself down far too often is with his end product. The most glaring examples were the several one-on-ones he failed to take last season. The silver lining is that he is getting into good positions and the hope is that McInnes can refine someone who is still on the young side at 23 and –  it shouldn’t be forgotten – is playing on the other side of the world from his homeland.

There has also been a lot of disruption immediately above him over the past season. Steven Naismith started 2024/25 in charge, Neil Critchley had six months and there were two interim spells for Fox.

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Take into account the shape and personnel changes by and between each of those three head coaches and there is a plausible excuse there.

Vargas was at his best last season when Fox simplified things towards the end of the campaign, though with the caveat that Hearts were playing fairly meaningless games at that point. 

McInnes will like some of the attributes that the player possesses and will back himself to improve him in the way he has with many other players over his management career. Former Aberdeen speedster Peter Pawlett is one player who improved instantly under McInnes, for example.

Doing his talking on the pitch is the best, if not the only, way for Vargas to win over his detractors, though it wouldn’t hurt for him to do the odd media appearance as well. 

Sometimes you can never win, but Shankland – to take one example from last season – won some people over by speaking to the media and pretty much explaining that he is human with flaws like everyone else. Though it is appreciated that Vargas may not be comfortable speaking so formally in his second language.

Ultimately, until there is more end product on the pitch, Vargas will continue to split opinion, but more and more fans seem to be pulling in the same direction in general since McInnes first spoke to the media as Hearts boss.

And it is encouraging that Vargas is viewed positively. It would be too hasty to discard a young player with a long-term contract after one disappointing season, which followed a promising one.

The start of the season will be a key few months for Vargas and a great opportunity to win back those he frustrated with his comments towards the end of last year and his subsequent form in what should act as a blank slate for all who remain.