Hleb finally on his way to Tynecastle

VYACHESLAV HLEB is on his way to Hearts after his transfer from Belarussian club MTZ Ripo was sanctioned during weekend negotiations with Vladimir Romanov.

The talented forward and his agent held lengthy discussions with Romanov on Saturday, the outcome being Hleb should finalise a permanent move to Tynecastle before the month is out.

Work permit complications have twice denied him the opportunity to join Hearts in the last 12 months, however international outings in March and in last week's double header against Bulgaria mean he has now played 75 per cent of Belarus' competitive games during the last two years. That should allow the 24-year-old to satisfy UK Home Office regulations and render a work permit a formality.

He will sign a two or three-year contract and become the first man to appear for all three clubs under Romanov's umbrella. As well as Hearts and MTZ Ripo, the Russian banker also finances FBK Kaunas of Lithuania, for whom Hleb played as a guest at January's Commonwealth Cup in Moscow.

Nikolai Shpilevsky, the player's Belarussian representative, told the Evening News: "Slava and I spoke with Romanov three days ago and it looks very good for him to come to Hearts. The discussions were very positive and both parties are willing to complete the transfer.

"I speak with Slava every day and he is desperate to get to Hearts. It will take a few days to manage the whole thing and for the final conversations to take place. We think he will be in Edinburgh by the end of the month."

Shpilevsky was reluctant to divulge the length of contract offered to his client but confirmed that Hleb will be signed directly to Hearts rather than negotiate a loan deal from MTZ Ripo.

"We don't want to talk about the contract because it has not been signed yet, but it will be longer than one year. It will be a permanent transfer," he added.

Hleb could yet find himself forming a dream partnership next season along with the mercurial Chilean Mauricio Pinilla. Hearts own 50 per cent of Pinilla's contract but the striker has spent the last six months on loan at Universidad de Chile.

That agreement ended abruptly after a recent bar-room incident with a Universidad team-mate and the player is now in Cancun, Mexico, on a break. However, sources in Santiago say he is still intent on returning to Tynecastle.

Gavin Rae, a reported signing target for Hearts, is in discussions over a possible move to English Championship side Norwich City. "Gavin is one of a number of players we are looking at," said Jim Duffy, the former Hearts director of football who is now assistant coach at Carrow Road.

"Gavin is a player I do know. He has been at Glasgow Rangers, he's an international player and he is a player we have discussed, but there is nothing imminent.

"The cliched answer from the player is that he is looking at his options. And the cliched answer from the club is he is one of a number of possibilities, but that is true. We spoke to his agent just to see what the situation is. He has been on holiday and perhaps later this week we would like to have a further chat."


BARRY ANDERSON (banderson@edinburghnews.com)

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