German clubs eye Hleb as Hearts move stalls

BELARUSSIAN international striker Vyacheslav Hleb last night admitted his proposed move to Hearts is now in jeopardy amid interest from Germany.

The 24-year-old forward, younger brother of Arsenal star Alexander, appeared set to join Hearts for the new season from MTZ Ripo of Minsk, who are financed by Tynecastle majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

Work permit complications had blocked previous bids to bring Hleb to Edinburgh, but he has now played 75 per cent of Belarus' competitive games during the last two years to qualify.

Romanov informed the former Stuttgart, Hamburg and Grasshoppers player in June that he would be heading to Scotland and preliminary contract discussions were held.

But the pair have not spoken for more than a month and Hleb admits he is in limbo, especially after Hearts added four new faces in Ruben Palazuelos, Ricardas Beniusis, Andrius Ksanavicius and Matej Rapnik earlier this week.

Now German sides are reported to be willing to offer around £500,000 for Hleb's signature.

He said: "Perhaps next week or the week after something will happen and I can come to Scotland. I have some interest from other clubs. Maybe I will go to Scotland, maybe I will go to Germany. Everything depends on Romanov. Romanov is thinking about this just now. I have a contract with Romanov so if he says I go to Hearts, I go to Hearts. If he says I go to Germany, I go to Germany."

Meanwhile, Hearts assistant coach Stevie Frail believes the club are approaching the new season from a strong team base after putting last season's internal troubles behind them.

After former captain Steven Pressley revealed dressing-room unrest last October and eventually departed for Celtic with Paul Hartley, Hearts faced more problems in March after a 4-0 home defeat from Dundee United.

Frail revealed cliques within the club with different nationalities siding together and not bonding as a group. But Frail, assured of his future after being handed a one-year deal this week, feels the team spirit at Hearts has been fully restored ahead of next Monday's league opener with city rivals Hibs in Gorgie.

He said: "I think the stronger team spirit comes from last season when we sunk to a level that I hope we don't have to go back to. After the famous Dundee United game, obviously things from there could only go up the way.

"The players bought into it and have kept it going. As long as we've got 11 players come game time pulling in the same direction, it makes up for a lot of failings in other departments. It's not to say that we have any, but if everyone is going the same way then you've got a chance."

On the impending derby, Frail added: "Both teams would maybe rather have this derby game two or three weeks into the season, but it's now Monday. We know what night games are like in Europe at Tynecastle so I'm sure it'll be much the same atmosphere when Hibs come calling. It's up to us to keep going and progressing this season. We want to win everything we enter."



ED HODGE

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