Hartley on brink of Hearts return

Published on Friday 16 July 2010 16:46

PAUL Hartley was last night on the brink of sealing a return to Hearts, but the Tynecastle club's move to sign Kilmarnock captain Craig Bryson looks set to be put on hold for now after the two clubs were unable to agree on a fee.

Both midfielders have been on manager Jim Jefferies' radar for some time now, but it is the pursuit of the 33-year-old Hartley, who was desperate to return north after spending last season with Bristol City, which looks like being concluded successfully after a series of promising talks between club and player.

The move, which - barring any unexpected last-minute hitches - is expected to be confirmed today or tomorrow, will see the Scotland internationalist become the highest-paid player at Tynecastle and will also thrust him into contention for the captaincy, a role which he performed as Steven Pressley's understudy during a distinguished four-year spell at the Edinburgh club first-time round.

Hartley left Tynecastle for boyhood heroes Celtic in January 2007, just months after sitting alongside Craig Gordon and Pressley while the latter read out a statement at a press conference decrying Vladimir Romanov's controversial stewardship of the club.

Despite being a member of the so-called "Riccarton Three", Hartley has retained the respect of the Tynecastle club's majority shareholder as a result of his scintillating performances during the club's memorable 2005-06 campaign, Romanov's first full season in power in Gorgie.

Indeed, before reports of Hearts' interest in re-signing Hartley first surfaced around a month ago, Romanov had declared that he would like to see more players at the club in the same mould as the little midfielder.

While Hartley looks set to return, one player who is unlikely to be joining this summer is midfielder Bryson. Cash-strapped Kilmarnock are demanding more than the 450,000 Hearts are willing to offer.

Unless Rugby Park chairman Michael Johnston is prepared to reduce the asking price, it seems likely Hearts will have to wait until January at the earliest to secure the services of Bryson, who has only a year left on his Killie deal.