Csaba targets striker Nemec

Published on Friday 17 July 2009 10:31

IN an attempt to increase their attacking options following yesterday's capture of David Witteveen, Hearts have turned their attentions to Racing Genk's Slovakian international striker Adam Nemec.

Representatives of the Belgian club have confirmed interest from Tynecastle, where manager Csaba Laszlo is hoping the club hierarchy will sanction a move for the imposing 23-year-old who recently spent time on trial with Kaiserslautern.

Nemec stands 6ft 3in tall and carries experience of Germany's second Bundesliga as well as the top flights of both Slovakia and Belgium. He was capped for his country in an international friendly against Bulgaria in November 2006. He cost Genk 750,000 last summer from the German club Erzgebirge Aue but has failed to settle in the intervening 12 months, and Genk have made it known that they will accept a vastly reduced fee for his transfer.

Hearts may prefer an initial loan agreement for a player Laszlo knows from his time in Germany, and who would grant the Tynecastle attack extra presence following Witteveen's arrival on a two-year contract.

Dirk Degraen, general manager of Racing Genk, said today: "I know that Hearts want to sign Adam Nemec. We will listen to them and to what they have to offer. Kaiserslautern is still a possibility. It's too early to say that Nemec will leave for sure, but everybody knows that Nemec can leave the club if we find an agreement with another team."

Karol Csonto, the player's agent, added: "Yes, it's true Hearts are interested in Nemec but we are not at the stage where I can say we will succeed with a move. He has an offer from Kaiserslautern but we must speak about a contract with Hearts.

"I think by Tuesday we will know the decision because I plan to speak with the Hearts coach again. The player likes the kind of football in Britain so we will try to speak with Genk, although it is not easy. The final decision will be with the player."

Nemec's contract at Genk runs until 2012 and Csonto was hopeful of holding further talks with Laszlo today.

The manager secured his fifth summer signing yesterday when Witteveen put pen to paper following a successful trial period. However, there are no plans to sign the former Motherwell midfielder Stephen Hughes despite initial contract talks having taken place.

The Evening News has learned that Hearts informed Hughes earlier this week that they are now looking at alternative options.

Midfielder David Templeton will miss the start of the new SPL season after undergoing surgery on a broken foot. The 20-year-old is facing up to ten weeks on the sidelines after suffering the injury in training prior to the club's pre-season tour of Germany.