Jefferies: Hearts must move quickly to secure targets

HEARTS will accelerate their summer recruitment drive after tomorrow's final league match of the season in the hope of beating rival clubs to their intended targets.

Director Sergejus Fedotovas and manager Jim Jefferies held discussions on prospective signings before Wednesday's match with Celtic. Jefferies is wary that other managers are keen on players identified by Hearts and stressed that the club must now move quickly.

Additionally, decisions are to be taken on several players whose contracts are expiring or due for extension. Those include Ismael Bouzid, Ruben Palazuelos, Rudi Skacel and Janos Balogh. "I had a meeting prior to Wednesday's match with Sergey and we talked about players," said Jefferies.

"He deals with agents of players out of contract. Any targets we've got, he has that information. We'll have a few days' break after the season and then meet up quickly and try to get the whole thing resolved.

"People are out of contract, it doesn't mean to say we don't want them. They might not want to stay or they might get other offers elsewhere. Everything was put on hold till we finished third so it's a case of cracking on now and trying to get to these players before other clubs. The targets we have will have options to go elsewhere."

Hearts must wait until after next weekend's Scottish Cup final to discover which stage of the Europa League qualifying phase they will enter.

Should Celtic win the cup, the Edinburgh club will start in the third qualifying round on July 28 and August 4. However, if Motherwell take the trophy at Hampden then Hearts would be forced into the second qualifying round, which takes place on July 14 and 21.

The uncertainty makes it awkward for Jefferies to finalise his pre-season preparations.

"We don't know what we will do because we might end up playing late July or early July in Europe," he explained. "We know the season starts in late July. There isn't a lot of time.

"We'll just get away and get a break because we are due to come back on June 22. That's probably two weeks prior to any season before."

Tomorrow could see a few changes to the Hearts starting line-up for the final match of the season at Tannadice. "I've got to consider what players will be available because there are a few knocks from Wednesday," said Jefferies.

"I was going to give some younger players a run but you still want to win the game. Denis Prychynenko would certainly have been one that I included but he's picked up a knee injury.

"There a couple of other youngsters I might look at.

"The fans going up there want to see us win so we have to balance it by putting out a strong enough side and helping the youngsters if I decide to give them a run."