Vlad Russian to sell Craig

VLADIMIR ROMANOV has secretly sounded out Russian clubs Spartak and CSKA Moscow about bidding for Craig Gordon and will accept the first offer of £5million for the Hearts goalkeeper.

The Italian side Palermo have also held discussions with Romanov regarding Gordon, however Fulham's £4m bid remains the highest formal offer to date.
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Gordon, along with team-mate Paul Hartley, was dropped for Saturday's match with Rangers but is reluctant to move south to a club without European aspirations. He is also likely refuse any prospective move to Russia.

Romanov is seeking to force the sales of the Scotland goalkeeper and midfield talisman Hartley before the transfer window closes, and instructed head coach Valdas Ivanauskas to tell them on Saturday morning that they would not play at Ibrox as the club had begun negotiating their transfer.

That prompted Hartley to storm out of the Hearts team hotel around 11.30am and return to his Lanarkshire home, and Ivanauskas is now resigned to losing his vice-captain.

"He might have played his last game for us," said the Lithuanian. "There are two days until Wednesday but my feeling is that Paul will change club. I think it would be good for him to move clubs because he is 30 and this would be his last big contract."

Aston Villa and Blackburn are monitoring Hartley's situation closely, with Martin O'Neill remaining a huge admirer of the player from his time in Scotland.

Rangers are also interested in taking the Scotland internationalist to Ibrox in a deal which could be worth around £1.3million to Hearts.

Gordon, having been told on Saturday morning that the discussions on his future did not involve Fulham, travelled with the Hearts party to Ibrox and watched from the main stand as his colleagues secured a 0-0 draw.

It was later suggested that a groin injury had a bearing on his absence, but Gordon said today: "The reality is that, as with Paul, I was told I wouldn't be playing because the club was in discussions with a view to my transfer. It's nothing to do with a groin injury and they haven't told me who they are speaking with."

Ivanauskas added: "It's difficult to say if Craig will still be here [after Wednesday] because he has interest from a lot of clubs. It is not my decision. Pedro [Lopez] and Alexander [Koslovski] are both working on it."

Gordon has only recently changed his agent and is now represented by the London-based Andrew Evans. "Top clubs Europe-wide are a possible destination for Craig," said Evans.

"If Hearts agree a fee for Craig's services he will ultimately have to decide whether he wants to go to such a club. That applies across Europe. If and when Hearts agree a fee and allow him to speak to a club, then he will do that and make a decision accordingly."

Taken from the Scotsman