Hearts must work to hang on to Zaliukas

Hearts director Sergejus Fedotovas admitted today that contract talks with club captain Marius Zaliukas have become protracted, however he denied negotiations had broken down completely.

Zaliukas flew to Lithuania last week to meet Fedotovas and Vladimir Romanov, Hearts' majority shareholder, to discuss converting his loan from FBK Kaunas into a permanent contract. However, he has thus far been unable to agree terms.

"The talks are ongoing," said Fedotovas. When asked if he was confident Zaliukas wanted to remain at Hearts, he replied: "I am confident Hearts want to have Marius as a player."

Zaliukas' loan agreement expires in December and he is known to want a wage increase in order to sign a permanent contract.

Hearts were endeavouring to recruit a midfielder before the transfer window closes tonight and have not relinquished hope of agreeing a deal with Kilmarnock for Craig Bryson. "We are looking at a couple of options, one of them is in Scotland," explained Fedotovas.

Tynecastle officials were offered the Moroccan internationalist Youssef Mokhtari on a free transfer yesterday but manager Jim Jefferies and sport director Alexandr Metlitski have yet to decide if they are interested. "I don't have any feedback from our management team yet on that," said Fedotovas.

Mokhtari, a 31-year-old attacking midfielder with ten goals in 24 international appearances for Morocco, is available for nothing having been deemed surplus to requirements at FC Metz in France. However, Jefferies may be keen to recruit a younger player in that position.

Fedotovas added that background checks on Hearts' Cameroonian trialist, Jonathan Toto, will continue.

Meanwhile, defender Lee Wallace has returned to Riccarton for treatment on his ankle problem having withdrawn from the Scotland squad to face Lithuania in Kaunas on Friday. If the injury responds he could rejoin the national side for next Tuesday's encounter with Liechtenstein at Hampden.

David Templeton has been called into the Scotland Under-21 squad for forthcoming European Championship qualifiers with Belarus and Austria, a reflection of his fine early-season form for Hearts.