Rudi Skacel close to fresh deal with Hearts

The Tynecastle outfit are set to take up their option to extend the Czech cap's contract by a further 12 months following talks with the midfielder.

Skacel, a hero from the club's 2006 Scottish Cup triumph, rejoined Hearts last summer on an initial one-year deal and the 32-year-old continued his love affair with the Gorgie outfit with 13 goals on their way to clinching Europa League football.

However, there were doubts over Skacel's future at Hearts after his agent Jochen Kientz revealed that the player was seeking improvements on what was described as a modest contract after proving his worth to the club. Manager Jim Jefferies' assertion that the impasse would be resolved 'one way or the other' yesterday didn't materialise but Fedotovas has moved to allay fears that Skacel is heading for the exit door.

Fedotovas, Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov's right-hand man, said: "We're going to extend the contract with Rudi, we've had discussions with him on the commercial side of it and it appears to be finalised. When Rudi joined he signed a contract with the option of another year so officially he does not need to sign anything but I hope this will all be resolved in the coming days.

"This is a piece of good news for the club and we're really happy to be keeping a player like Rudi, and we're looking forward to what we hope will be a successful European campaign."

Given Romanov's apparent disdain of agents, the player has been involved directly in talks with club officials without Kientz. Even if Skacel does sign in time for Saturday's SPL curtain-raiser at Rangers, it's unlikely he will start at Ibrox after missing all of Hearts' pre-season games as his contract situation rumbled on.

Speaking at the weekend, manager Jefferies said: "My only concern is Rudi because he's not had any games. Rudi wants that (contract situation) sorted out before he actually becomes available. The trouble with that is that it's taken so long."

Meanwhile, Jamie Hamill has no problems taking on the Hearts heavyweights to stake his claim as No?1 penalty taker at Tynecastle. Hamill, signed from Kilmarnock in the summer, confidently took the ball from burly striker John Sutton when Jim Jefferies' men were awarded a spot-kick five minutes from the end of Sunday's friendly against Royal Antwerp and scored the winner.

Fellow new signing Sutton took the penalties for Motherwell last season while regular penalty taker, Kevin Kyle, is still recovering from a hip problem.

Hamill revealed an impressive record from the spot to back up his belief that he is now the man in possession."Big Sutts grabbed the ball and I just asked him for it," he said. "I think he scored a few last season but I scored more. I think it was eight all in. I scored seven and got the rebound for one and I think I scored about four or five in previous seasons. So I was willing to step up.

"I had a laugh in training with big Kev because he said he was hitting them when he was fit. He's a big boy and you don't want to argue with him - but I think I will get to the ball quicker. Hopefully in the next game I'm playing we will get a penalty and I will take it."

The versatile 24-year-old was praised by Jefferies for his performance in the right-back position. "It's different going out there as a Hearts player - I didn't get as much abuse, although that might come," he joked. "I'm looking forward to the season and it's good to play at Tynecastle as a Hearts player."

The former Scotland Under-21 player is, however, suspended for the opener against Rangers at Ibrox.