Award-winner Marian Kello admits heart's desire is a move to bigger league

Hearts keeper Marian Kello has confessed that he hopes being in the form of his life will help him realise his dream of a future move to a more high- profile arena such as the English Premier League.

The 28-year-old was yesterday named the Clydesdale Bank Premier League player of the month for February after a string of hugely-impressive displays, peaking with a man-of-the-match performance against Aberdeen at the weekend.

The Slovakia internationalist has cemented his place as Jim Jefferies' number one this season and, with 12 clean sheets to his name, has been a key component of the Tynecastle side's march to third place in the SPL.

And, with Scotland keeper Craig Gordon showing the way with his 9 million switch from Hearts to Sunderland in 2007, Kello - who has another season left on his contract in Gorgie - has admitted he hopes his finest campaign ever will bring the spotlight north of the Border again.

"This is probably the best I have played in my career," he said. "I'm having the best season of my life because we are in third place, we are getting many good results and I'm getting many clean sheets.

"I also got my national call-up and this award, it's great.

"I am ambitious. Obviously I would like to make a step forward if that's possible.

"Everyone dreams, and to get to the best league, or one of the best leagues, in the world would be just a dream come true.

"Everyone wants to try it or to get the opportunity to try it - that's every player's dream.

"In the past, there have been some great goalkeepers at Hearts. We will see if an opportunity comes for me.

"But I'm not really thinking of that, because I want to have all my focus on the league and on my performances.

"It is a big time for me, we have national team meetings coming and I want to do my best to get involved again there, so that's my focus.

"I don't want to think about what will happen in the summer."

Kello's form has already been recognised at international level, with his debut coming last month against Luxembourg.

What should have been a dream come true turned into something of a nightmare, however, as his late substitute's appearance ended with him conceding the goal which saw Slovakia go down to an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to the international minnows.

But the former FBK Kaunas player has insisted his call-up has still given him a further morale boost and he is hopeful of quickly erasing the painful memory of that defeat by earning another outing for his national team.

"My international debut was a big disappointment for me because we had a very bad result there," he added.

"It was only a friendly but obviously it wasn't a first cap to remember.

"Now, I just want to get another one which I can celebrate.

"But, for me, it was a big boost that I went there and it has given me some confidence and belief. Now, I just want to show and prove that I can be even better."