Laszlo admits he would like to bring Porter to Tynecastle

Published on Tuesday 6 January 2009 22:11

CHRIS Porter could be playing one of his final games for Motherwell tonight if Csaba Laszlo has his way and takes the striker to Tynecastle. The Hearts manager, whose team visit Fir Park on league duty this evening, yesterday confirmed his interest in signing Porter – and also made a brief and tantalising mention of the Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher.

"A very good player," Laszlo responded when asked what he thought of Porter. "Definitely Porter is a player which 100 per cent can pass to my team and my concept. He's definitely a very interesting player. Also Fletcher from Hibs . . . ."

Laszlo laughed nervously after that last remark, as if it were a piece of light mischief-making in the build-up to Sunday's Scottish Cup match between the Edinburgh clubs, and a club source later insisted it had been intended as a joke. But, while it is virtually inconceivable that Hearts would be able to afford Fletcher, it is not implausible that the Hibs player would feature on a list drawn up by the Hearts manager of players he would like to see at Tynecastle.

That might largely be a wish list rather than anything related to reality, but Laszlo went on to say he had submitted a lengthy list of names to the board of directors, and that he wanted to bring in more Scots in addition to the Inverness Caley Thistle player Ian Black, who has signed a pre-contract. "At the moment I have a lot of names – I gave about 25 to the board," he continued. "I have an intention to bring in more Scottish players for the future. Black is not the finish."

Hearts will probably have to sell at least one player before being able to bid for anyone else, and, at present, Christophe Berra appears the most likely to move on during the transfer window. Fulham are reportedly ready to bid for the captain and centre-half, and, while Laszlo has yet to hear anything official, he said he would be proud if any of his players were able to move on to a higher level.

"At the moment I don't have any information from the board about Christophe Berra," said Laszlo. "I don't think this week we change something.

"I'm always happy if players move on to a higher level. I saw in the papers an offer of 3million for the top scorer in the league. And I also saw 2.5million for Christophe Berra and I am very proud, because one is a striker and this is a defender. I have so many plans. One is what to do if we lose some players. But the decision is not in my hands. If I have to work with the reserve team, I make a good team with them."

Employing a lengthy mountaineering analogy, he then suggested that the present Hearts squad might have reached a plateau and needed "more oxygen" if they were to resume their progress. "Oxygen must come this month, maybe to keep or go a little higher," he said. "And oxygen is not always to bring in somebody new."

He knows that any business completed this month might only be a temporary measure. In the longer term, he is looking to overhaul a squad which is too big. With 24 players of all age groups out of contract in the summer, he knows the close season will give him the chance to do that. "In May maybe it will be possible to get a new team and I can make the next step," he said. "I would like to have a squad of 25 players, not 40."

Laszlo went on to claim that he had unnamed players from Spain, Portugal and Germany interested in joining Hearts, but when he selects his team to take on Motherwell tonight there is only one novel option open to him – Calum Elliot, with the striker back from a successful loan spell at Livingston.

"It was very positive for Calum to go out for half a year," Laszlo said of the Livingston move, which came after a spell at Tynecastle in which Elliot was at times booed by a section of the Hearts support. "I told him if you have a good half season, believe me, I don't forget you.

He did not have a very good friendship with our fans, but if he starts to score they will accept him." Elliot is in the squad for this evening's match but is unlikely to start. Laryea Kingston could miss out with a hamstring inflammation but should be available for Sunday, while Bruno Aguiar is definitely out tonight but will resume training tomorrow with a view to being ready for Sunday.

Christos Karipidis is also expected to be omitted from the squad to play Motherwell in the hope that he will shake off an ankle injury in time to play at Easter Road. And Jason Thomson, who was concussed against Hibs, has recovered and is available for selection. Laszlo believes the fact Hibs have no midweek game will probably work in their favour. "I think Hibs have an advantage – if you see the Motherwell ground it's not the best and the possibility of injury is high," he said.