Hearts leading chase to sign Austrian ace

Published on Saturday 4 July 2009 11:20

HEARTS are leading the pursuit of Austrian striker David Witteveen and will beat clubs in Italy, Germany, Holland and Switzerland to the player's signature provided he successfully completes a medical examination.

Witteveen, a former Red Bull salzburg forward, is hopeful of joining Hearts on their six-day tour of Germany next week with initial talks on a possible two-year contract having already taken place.

The 24-year-old fits manager Csaba Laszlo's identikit for a Scottish Premier League striker, being over 6ft 2ins tall with a bustling style and good turn of pace. Sources in Austria, where he spent last season on loan at WAC St Andra, describe him as strong, quick and ideally suited to the stereotypical British game.

Hearts may require to pay a minimal "development" fee to Red Bull to sign Witteveen as he is a product of the club's youth academy. He has worked under established European coaches like Lothar Matthus, Giovanni Trappatoni and Torsten Fink at the Red Bull Arena but is now seeking to move on having become surplus to the club's requirements. Tynecastle is said to be his first choice destination despite interest from clubs in several of Europe's most respected leagues.

Laszlo was out of the country yesterday and is attempting to negotiate deals for more new players ahead of the German tour, which would follow the recent captures of midfielder Ian Black and Spanish winger Suso. Majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov and director Sergejus Fedotovas were locked in meetings last night and Fedotovas remained coy on their plans when contacted by the Evening News.

He said: "Hearts will sign players. We are negotiating at the moment so I don't want to say anything more. When we have something to announce, we will announce it."