Valdas: Club must move quickly to bag defender

VALDAS IVANAUSKAS admitted today that Hearts must move quickly if they are to recruit the Lithuanian defender Mindaugas Baguzis on loan from FBK Kaunas before the January transfer window closes.

The club's head coach remains hopeful that the arrivals of Laryea Kingston and Gogita Gogua will not signal the end of Vladimir Romanov's transfer business for this month and, with Robbie Neilson and Nerijus Barasa currently injured, a new defender is being considered.

Baguzis spent a week on trial at Riccarton earlier this month and was expected to complete his loan move from Lithuania following Kaunas' participation in Moscow's Commonwealth Cup, which ended on Wednesday at the quarter-final stage.

However, Romanov has been detained in the Russian capital concluding the negotiations for Kingston and Gogua. The majority shareholder plans to fly to Scotland in time to take in Hearts' visit to Ibrox tomorrow, leaving him short on time if he is to facilitate the loan of Baguzis to Hearts before the transfer window closes next Wednesday.

Ivanauskas was remaining coy on the situation today. He said: "It's difficult with Baguzis because we have a very short time until the transfer window closes. We are waiting to see what happens with him."

Baguzis returned to Lithuania with his Kaunas team-mates yesterday after Eugenijus Riabovas' side were eliminated from the Commonwealth Cup 4-2 on penalties by FK Ventspils of Latvia. The teams were tied at 1-1 at the end of regulation time, with Kaunas' goal scored by Hearts' summer transfer target Oleg Strahanovich.

Hearts are still awaiting work permits for both Kingston and Gogua as well as a final agreement with their respective clubs, Terek Grozny and Spartak Nalchik, over future transfer fees. Romanov has secured first option to sign both midfielders in six months' time when their loan deals at Tynecastle are due to expire, however the fees which would bring them to Scotland permanently remain a minor stumbling block.

Ivanauskas, though, is not overly concerned. He said: "I hope these details can be finalised soon. It's not a problem because with the club it's okay, with the players it's okay, but with their previous club there is a problem.

"I need midfield options because we have problems in there. Both players can play in different positions so I think it's good. Mr Romanov and I spoke about our squad in Moscow and I said we needed these players."

Hearts travel to Ibrox tomorrow to face Rangers with Edgaras Jankauskas still missing but Polish striker Arkadiusz Klimek could start the match on the substitutes' bench.

Meanwhile, three of the club's youngsters have agreed loan deals at Scottish League clubs. Reserve goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, who only this week was promoted to the Scotland Under-21 squad, has joined Queen of the South, Jamie Mole will move to Livingston and Matthew Doherty has also gone to Queen of the South. All loans are for a period of six months.

Taken from the Scotsman