Club looks for strikers as Miller talks collapse

HEARTS have targeted other top strikers after Lee Miller snubbed the club's offer to become one of the highest-paid players at Tynecastle.

With a fee of £225,000 having been agreed with Bristol City, Gorgie chief executive Phil Anderton gave the loan star until 5pm yesterday to commit to a lucrative three-year deal with the Jambos. But with the player's agent Mark Donaghy failing to make the deadline, the deal has been taken off the table.

With Miller now set to talk to Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood today, Hearts are "actively pursuing" different transfer options both at home and abroad as they look to bolster their forward line for next season.

While Hearts have pulled out of the race to sign Miller, the Evening News can reveal that along with Joe Hamill, former Celtic star Mark Burchill has been offered a new one-year deal to remain in Gorgie. Graham Weir is also considering an offer to stay having been welcomed back into the fold by stand-in boss John McGlynn for last weekend's league clash against Celtic.

It is understood the club offered Miller a three-year contract which could have cost them around £5000 a week taking into consideration the size of the transfer fee and annual increases and bonuses.

With the 22-year-old having failed to make a decision in time, Hearts are confident of landing a similarly prolific front man on a Bosman.

A club insider said today: "The club is now actively pursuing other options. Given the size of the transfer fee to sign Lee Miller and the three-year salary which included annual increases and large bonuses, the deal could have cost Hearts in the region of £5000 a week. The money they have saved on Lee Miller could now go towards landing a quality Bosman signing."

Hearts are understood to have offered well in excess of the £1400 basic wage which Miller is on at Ashton Gate and it remains to be seen what the Dons are prepared to table to land his services.

"The Lee Miller situation will be finalised one way or the other, hopefully today," said Calderwood. "I don't think personal terms will be a problem but, if he and his agent disagree, then we'll move on as we have other irons in the fire."

It is understood that Miller is not the Dons' No.1 target, with Calderwood having had bids for both Kilmarnock's Kris Boyd and Stuart Lovell of Dundee rejected.

The latest twist to the Miller saga is far from ideal for McGlynn, who has to decide whether to play him against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday.

"If the lad's head is not focused properly on the game then we may have to leave him out," he said. "It would be a blow as he is an important player for us."

While Burchill, Hamill and Weir ponder over their new offers from Anderton, the club has released a number of their younger players. Neil Janczyk, David McGeown, Conall Murtagh, Ryan Kennedy and Ryan Gay have all been told their contracts won't be renewed.

McGlynn broke the news to the youngsters earlier this week and he said: "It was an absolute nightmare and the worst day you have in this job. I've been involved in this before but making these decisions doesn't get any easier. They are all good lads and hopefully they get something sorted out for next season in the near future."

Hearts announced yesterday that Jamie McDonald, Gary Tierney and Marco Pelosi had earned one-year deals, with Craig Sives handed a two-year contract.

Taken from the Scotsman