Hearts tie up contract for Kello

HEARTS have agreed a free transfer for Marian Kello from Lithuanian club FBK Kaunas.

The Slovakian goalkeeper has signed a two-year deal at Tynecastle and becomes a permanent Hearts player after spending the last two years on loan.

"We are delighted everything is sorted out," manager Jim Jefferies said. "Since I came in he has impressed me and I think the club has three very good goalkeepers now. There is very little between them and they work hard with Arturas (Ramoska, goalkeeping coach] so it is very difficult to know who the number one is but Marian was the more favoured one last year.

"He had a bit of an injury problem and he's now had the game against Millwall so there's a couple of games to assess who will be the number one."

Meanwhile, defender Ismael Bouzid could return in Saturday's friendly against Blackburn, just days after the club feared he had fractured his skull.

The Algerian internationalist was stretchered off during the weekend's win over Millwall following a sickening collision with striker Steve Morison and was rushed to hospital amid concerns he had suffered a serious head knock.

Despite being kept in overnight at the King's College hospital in London on Saturday, scans confirmed the 27-year-old did not fracture his skull and he returned to Edinburgh with physio Rob Marshall on Sunday.

This evening's visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers comes too soon for Bouzid, who is suspended for the first SPL game of the season on 14 August against St Johnstone, but assistant manager Billy Brown said: "Ismael won't play against Wolves but he could make Saturday."

Hearts hope to welcome back Ruben Palazuelos, David Obua and Ian Black from injury for this evening's match.