Hearts chief warns Zaliukas over wages

Marius Zaliukas is to have further contract discussions with Hearts next week but the club captain faces being frozen out of the team or returning to FBK Kaunas if he does not reduce his wage demands.

Sergey Fedotovas, a Tynecastle director, confirmed today that Hearts will not play players who fail to show genuine long-term commitment. He said the club will continue the approach taken previously with Andy Webster and Jose Goncalves, both of whom were excluded from first-team matches during contractual disputes.

Zaliukas has requested a salary in excess of 1million per year before tax – equivalent to more than 20,000 per week inclusive of bonuses – to join Hearts permanently. His loan from FBK Kaunas is due to expire in December but Fedotovas and Vladimir Romanov, Hearts' majority shareholder, have rejected his demands and another meeting is planned next week.

Fedotovas explained that Zaliukas must underline his dedication to the club by signing a deal or face the prospect being omitted.

"It is too early to say about this but generally the policy of the club is to play players who have a contract; players who are committed to playing for Hearts and focused on the club for long periods," he told the Evening News.

"The policy is that we do not wish to play players who do not have this commitment. The discussions with Zaliukas are continuing. There is nothing that prevents us from speaking to him or making a deal.

"Definitely after the international matches we will have a meeting with him. Whether that would be in Edinburgh or Lithuania I don't know.

Marius still has a contract with Kaunas until the beginning of August next year so he is technically a player still under contract."

Asked if he believed Zaliukas is committed to Hearts, Fedotovas replied: "I would say the true statement of that would be him signing a contract with Hearts.

"Before we see that he wants to sign a contract, I would not be able to say that."