Hearts deny Nade has contract for next season

In a short statement released to the Evening News, the club confirmed that the Frenchman's attack on team-mate Ian Black in February signalled the end of his career in Edinburgh.

Nade has contacted the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association for help in attempting to validate an agreement he claims to have signed with Hearts. He said he put his name to a new three-year contract earlier this year, however, the club today refuted such suggestions.

Discussions aimed at extending Nade's present deal did take place with the player and his representative, Laurent D'Jaffo. Hearts maintain that at no point did they sanction any contract for the 25-year-old. They have not registered any new documents with the SPL for Nade and insisted today that the player has no future with them.

A club spokesperson said: "While initial contract extension talks took place earlier this season with Christian Nade, at no point was a contract extension agreed with the board of Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

"While no decision has been reached yet on the future of the player at Hearts, naturally, since the discussions earlier in the year, there have been two key changes to the circumstances of the player. Firstly, the club appointed a new manager and, secondly, the player's own discipline has been the subject of internal disciplinary procedures."

Nade punched Black in the dressing-room following February's 2-0 defeat by Celtic at Parkhead and was issued a final warning by Hearts following a disciplinary hearing.

Contract talks stopped at that point but Nade claims he signed a legally binding document. No agreement was signed by any Tynecastle official, although the SPFA and the SPL may investigate on the Frenchman's behalf.

Meanwhile, Hearts dispatched a scout to Norway to assess Viking Stavanger's highly-rated Icelandic midfielder Birkir Bjarnason on Monday evening. The 21-year-old scored the third goal in his club's 4-1 triumph over Molde, however, Viking would seek a transfer fee of 1million for a player whose contract has two years to run.

"I keep a good connection with Hearts and I tell them about promising and interesting players,"said Olafur Gardarson, Bjarnason's agent. "They have one good player from me playing for them (Eggert Jonsson] and they usually take a look if I tell them about other ones."