Hearts: Jefferies is keeping cards close to his chest

Aberdeen's Zander Diamond will be considered as a replacement should he depart, but manager Jim Jefferies stressed today that nothing is cast in stone regarding incomings or outgoings at Tynecastle.

Midfielder Ruben Palazuelos is another out of contract in June, however it is defensive areas which may demand the most attention during the close season. Comments attributed to Bouzid claiming interest from Rangers and England have not endeared him to Hearts supporters during what may be the final months of his stay in Edinburgh. Jefferies, though, has advised that such reports be treated with contempt given they are emanating from Algeria, the country the French-born defender represents at international level.

Diamond, below, is seen as one of the better SPL centre-backs outwith Glasgow but Jefferies has held no discussions with Aberdeen's vice-captain. That's because next season's strategy is still very much at the formative stage.

"I'm always planning to improve things for next season but it depends on a lot of things," said Jefferies. "Who is going to stay? Who is going to go? We've just brought Andy Webster in, we have Marius Zaliukas there who has been fantastic and Ismael Bouzid hasn't let us down either. We have competition for places.

"If I was to lose any of them in the summer I'd have to look for other possibilities. That's why Diamond's name has been thrown at me because people know that. We'll sit down at the end of the season and assess the squad. Some players who are out of contract will get made an offer. They might not take it, they might move on or their agent is maybe working behind the scenes to plan another move for whatever reason."

Asked about the media reports revealing Bouzid's apparent list of suitors, he continued: "There have been two or three times this season when Bouzid has been in the paper and the first chap I get in the door when I arrive at the training ground the next day is Ismael. He is concerned that what has been written in the paper isn't true. He's been linked with Rangers and teams in the English Championship.

"One of the problems you have with foreign players is that, when they go back home and make any press comment, it seems to get lost a little bit and they make up stories. Players are a bit angry with that. Ismael has come to me a couple of times this season saying things weren't true and I think he has intimated he wants to stay here. That's because he's out of contract.

"When the owners and I have a discussion about the squad moving forward they will decide if they are going to make an offer to him. If it's accepted, great. If not, it's the player's choice because he is out of contract. All of that has still to be done yet. I think Ismael would like to stay but it will be whether we can agree terms with him and his agent. That's not my side of things. They (the board) will keep me informed of how discussions go because it's better if they do it with the agent."

Jefferies added that his supposed interest in Diamond has yet to reach the level of opening talks with the player. "It always starts when an agent phones you up and tells you players are available at the end of the season because they are out of contract," he said. "You say 'thanks for letting me know', and then I sometimes see in the paper that we have already spoken to him or signed him. That's why I phoned Craig Brown.

"I said I'd seen the reports in the paper but not to think there was anything going on behind his back. If I was interested I would speak to him. I have been notified he's out of contract and if I decide to take that any further, it would depend on a lot of things and we haven't made a decision on that.

"Craig thanked me for the call. It's only courtesy if you're after any player who is out of contract to let their manager know. It's the right thing to do and I'd expect the same. I told Craig I've had no discussions with Zander and I haven't signed him."

"Ismael has come to me a couple of times saying things weren't true and I think he wants to stay" jim jefferies