Hearts: Bouzid agent seeks talks with Jambos

ISMAEL BOUZID'S agent is seeking urgent talks with Hearts to determine whether his client has a future at Tynecastle. The defender is out of contract in June and Thomas Boehm, his Austrian-based representative, wants to know if an extension will be offered.

The Algerian has been linked with a move away from Edinburgh at the end of the season and manager Jim Jefferies was today reported to be keen to engineer a deal to bring in Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond to replace him should he leave.

Boehm plans to contact Hearts within the next week to arrange a face-to-face meeting having spoken tentatively with director Sergejus Fedotovas about Bouzid in January. The outcome of the discussions will ordain whether the player is to be retained or allowed to leave on freedom of contract.

"I spoke with Sergey in January but we have to talk to Hearts again. I will talk to them in the next week to see what is going on. I will call and then go for a meeting with them personally," said Boehm. "It's too early to say if Ismael will stay or leave. First we have to talk to Hearts and see what their decision is."

Officials at Tynecastle have been less than enamoured by recent comments attributed to Bouzid in Algerian media. The defender plays international football for the African country and was quoted by newspapers there claiming Rangers and clubs in England had been monitoring his services. Boehm stressed today that the stories were somewhat exaggerated.

"I don't know who is doing it but I know it is different guys. It is not Ismael's fault but they need something to write. Some things are right and some things are wrong. The fact is I am his agent and I know what is going on. We will have a meeting with Hearts, then we can see what will happen."

Bouzid could return to Hearts' starting line-up this weekend depending on the severity of Andy Webster's groin injury, sustained at Aberdeen last Saturday.

"I feel sorry for Webster because of the injury but it is good for Ismael if he can play," said Boehm. "It doesn't matter if he stays or not, he is getting paid by Hearts and he wants to play. It is always better if you can play in the regular starting XI."

Diamond, who has been with Aberdeen since his schooldays, is nearing the end of his current contract with the Dons and it is believed that situation is being monitored by a host of English clubs.

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown is desperate to keep the central defender at Pittodrie but is aware that he would not be able to compete with the financial package Hearts could offer.