'Amused' Mixu says there was no Real contact over Hibs star Fletch

Published on Wednesday 4 June 2008 10:23

HIBS boss Mixu Paatelainen today laughed off the latest report linking Easter Road striker Steven Fletcher with a sensational move to Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants were today claimed to be "poised to open talks" with sporting director Predrag Mijatovic said to be ready to contact Hibs chairman Rod Petrie "within days" to thrash out a deal for the Scotland internationalist.

But Paatelainen insisted there had been no contact whatsoever with Real, pointing out that the supposed interest in 21-year-old Fletcher had been noted in newspaper stories over the past three months.

Mijatovic was quoted as saying: "We need new faces in our attack and we want to bring in two young strikers for the future. We no longer want to sign 30-year-olds who will have no long-term commitment to this club."

Interpreting such comments as signalling a move for Fletcher is imminent may seem tenuous, and that was certainly the view Paatelainen was taking today.

He said: "This has gone on so long if there was some truth in it you would expect to have seen some evidence, that something would have happened.

"But there has been no contact from Real Madrid, no approach, nothing."

Paatelainen also highlighted the fact that press reports have varied wildly, one claiming Hibs had slapped a 5million fee on Fletcher's head, another suggesting Real were prepared to pay 4.5m only for the latest to say the young striker was rated at just 3m.

While supporters may take such claims at face value, Paatelainen insisted that neither he nor striker Fletcher had been unsettled by the continued speculation.

He said: "There's nothing to suggest Steven won't be playing for Hibs again next season, he's only just signed a new long-term contract so there's no need to believe otherwise.

"Steven knows exactly how the football world goes, he's not unsettled and I'm certainly not. In fact, I find it quite amusing. There's no football taking place on the field so these stories keep people entertained and amused."

Paatelainen did concede, however, that transfer moves can come out of the blue but insisted that it was up to Real Madrid to make public their interest – if there is any – in Fletcher.

He said: "It's not my decision, I do not know how they think – you would have to ask them."

Meanwhile, Paatelainen denied he was eyeing up a transfer bid for Inverness Caledonian Thistle midfielder Don Cowie as he reiterated he has his signing targets identified and is working towards clinching a number of deals ahead of the new season.

He said: "I am working towards that every day, we have a few irons in the fire although I don't think anything will happen over the next week or two as people are on holiday."