Hearts manager Daniel Stendel hopes to sign midfielder Marcel Langer from Schalke but admits the transfer window is proving frustrating.
Stendel is aiming to sign the 22-year-old before Friday's deadline after previously bringing in Donis Avdijaj and Liam Boyce, who netted a debut winner against Rangers.
"I know him and I think he can help us," Stendel said.
"My experience in transfer windows was never like this window. I have never been so involved in talks and signing players.
"You think you sign a player and the next moment you realise you don't sign the player.
"I hope we can sign other players. We need space and we need to find a way for players to play. When the player cannot play here, maybe we can find an option for them to play at other clubs."
Hearts have loaned wide player Callumn Morrison to East Fife and striker Steven MacLean to Raith Rovers but Stendel is looking to offload other players including Christophe Berra.
Stendel played down reports that Hearts had targeted Craig Gordon after Celtic boss Neil Lennon insisted his second-choice goalkeeper was going nowhere.
Stendel said: "I think he is a really good goalkeeper and he has a history at Hearts but he has a contract at Celtic and we have three goalkeepers and Joel (Pereira) played well in the last games.
"I do not have a feeling we need a goalkeeper. We are more focused on the offensive positions."
