Valdas Pinilla blast

MAURICIO PINILLA has placed his Hearts future in jeopardy by returning to his native Chile, leaving head coach Valdas Ivanauskas infuriated by the player's attitude.

Pinilla's complaint is that he is not mentally attuned to football in Scotland and would prefer to negotiate a transfer to his formative club in Santiago, Universidad de Chile.

The 22-year-old is currently in the middle of a season-long loan at Hearts from the Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon.

Ivanauskas wanted the striker to remain in Edinburgh for Hearts' medical staff to monitor his rehabilitation from a back injury, however Pinilla's insistence upon returning to South America means he may never play for the club again.

Ivanauskas admitted: "I am very disappointed with Pinilla, with how he was when he was here, with how he worked and with his attitude. It makes me very angry. He is not mentally ready to be here just now and he also has the problem with his back. He has gone back to Chile. We are waiting to hear from him."

Ivanauskas was keen to keep faith with Pinilla following a series of injuries but has now lost patience with the Chilean internationalist.

Hearts' hopes of obtaining a UK work permit for the Georgian midfielder Gogita Gogua were dependant on an appeal hearing taking place at Hampden today. The 23-year-old's initial work permit application was refused last week, and a meeting at the National Stadium today was expected to ordain whether the player can complete a six-month loan move to Tynecastle from the Russian club Spartak Nalchik.

Hearts believe they have secured a work permit for the Ghanaian internationalist Laryea Kingston and hope to finalise his loan deal from Terek Grozny before the closure of the transfer window on Wednesday evening.

Midfielder Paul Hartley remains the subject of interest from Rangers. A £600,000 offer from the Ibrox side has been refused by Hearts' majority shareholder, Vladimir Romanov, who seeking in excess of £1million for the Scotland internationalist.

Captain Craig Gordon's future has also yet to be decided with Romanov having sounded out both Spartak and CSKA Moscow about the goalkeeper. As stated in yesterday's Evening News, Gordon is extremely reluctant to move to Russia although a transfer to the English Premiership remains a possibility, as does him remaining with Hearts until the summer.

Michal Pospisil's move to Bristol City hangs in the balance at present despite the chairman of the League One side, Steve Landsdown, having an offer of £150,000 accepted by Hearts. Romanov is happy to release the Czech striker, who was recruited from Slovan Liberec for £300,000 18 months ago, but Pospisil maintains reservations about playing in the third tier of English football.

Pospisil's agent, Eliot van Til, said: "Michal is thinking things over with his family. He would prefer it if the club were in the Championship but he has been impressed with Ashton Gate and with the manager, Gary Johnson. It's difficult to say which way it will go."

Julien Brellier's agent, however, has been irked at notions of his client being transferred out of Edinburgh without his knowledge. Maurizio de Giorgis claims he has not heard from anyone at Hearts despite claims on the club's official website that Brellier was one of the players attracting other clubs.

De Giorgis said: "Hearts are big shots. They should call me. I haven't received any calls so I have no news. There are no problems with Julien whatsoever. He will finish his contract at Hearts unless the club decide just to sell him. They want money for Julien. They don't want to pay him a better salary but they want money for him."

Meanwhile, Finnish striker Juho Makela could secure a six-month loan move to the Swiss club FC Thun. The Swiss transfer window remains open until February 15 and Thun are keen to recruit Makela, who recently went on trial at the German second division side Greuther Furth.

Taken from the Scotsman