'I want to sign' says Bobic

DARREN JOHNSTONE

HEARTS manager George Burley will make a decision on whether to sign on-trial Germany striker Fredi Bobic before the weekend's game against Dunfermline.

Bobic, who has won 37 caps for Germany, trained with the rest of the Tynecastle squad for the first time yesterday after jetting in from his homeland on Sunday evening.

The 34 year-old, who is a free agent after being released by Hertha Berlin during the summer, will have to prove he is over recent injury problems as the Edinburgh club look to add reinforcements to their strike force.

Bobic is again due at training this morning with Burley expected to make a call on the experienced marksman in the next 72 hours.

"I'm not here just to see the facilities and to see Edinburgh," said Bobic. "I want to sign here."

Bobic scored against Scotland in both qualifying matches for Euro 2004, giving Germany the lead at Hampden before Kenny Miller scored an equaliser in the 1-1 draw, and getting the first goal in Germany's 2-1 win in Dortmund. He has options to play in the Far East and Qatar, but would prefer to stay in Europe.

Burley, whose side kept their three point lead over Celtic at the summit intact following a 1-1 draw at Parkhead on Saturday, said: "Fredi trained today and we have him for the next three or four days so we will just take it from there."

Tomorrow's reserve clash with Celtic at Forthbank provides Burley with an opportunity to run the rule over the player in a match but he has ruled out the possibility of playing the striker.

"He will not be playing in that game," added Burley. "We will just see how he does over the next three or four days, simple as that."

With leading striker Roman Bednar out through injury and Michal Pospisil only just having recovered from a hamstring problem, there is a distinct lack of depth in the attacking department.

Meanwhile, Burley is interested in signing Polish international right-back Michal Zewlakow from Anderlecht when the transfer window opens in January. Zewlakow is in the final year of his contract with the Belgian outfit.

Hearts scout Simon Hunt is believed to have watched the 29 year-old in action last week when he played at right-back for Poland against England in a game they lost 2-1.

The defender could be the first of two Poles to arrive in the capital with Burley also interested in international midfielder Radoslaw Sobolewski.

Hearts had a £400,000 bid for the playmaker turned down by Wislaw Krakow before the close of the transfer window in August but Burley's interest in the player has not faded.

Burley is also running the rule over 18 year-old Polish goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski who is also a free agent after his contract at expired at Gornik Zabrze in his homeland. Bialkowski arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday.

Burley said: "Bartosz, through our contacts has been highly recommended to us, and we will have a look at him.

"He is here for the next month so we will do just that. He is one of the best young 'keepers in Poland and we have had a lot of good reports about him."

If Hearts sign Bialkowski, he will be the third Polish goalkeeper to arrive in the SPL this season, following in the footsteps of Zbigniew Malkowski at Hibernian and Artur Boruc at Celtic.

Taken from the Scotsman