Liverpool allow Mellor to speak to Hearts

LIVERPOOL have given permission to Neil Mellor to speak to Hearts but the Tynecastle club face competition to land the striker from clubs in the English Championship.

Hearts, who expect to complete the signing of midfielder Lee Johnson from Yeovil Town today, are anxious to supplement their attacking options after Edgar Jankauskas suffered a hamstring injury during the cup win over Kilmarnock.

Mellor, 23, scored in Liverpool reserves' 2-1 defeat by Newcastle on Monday but has not played for the first team since the third-round FA Cup exit to Burnley almost a year ago. In the interim he has had undergone knee surgery but is now fully fit.

Mick McGuire, the player's agent, said: "Hearts are very interested in Neil and they have spoken to Liverpool about him. I spoke to [Anfield chief executive] Rick Parry, and Liverpool have given Neil permission to speak to Hearts about a potential move.

"Neil is keeping an open mind on his future and he is happy to go up and talk to Hearts. There has been interest from several other clubs, and Neil is weighing up his options. He is not ruling out staying at Liverpool, because he still has a contract there."

Wolves, Stoke City and Sheffield United are all believed to be interested in Mellor who was out of football for 11 months with tendinitis on both knees.

Despite playing, and scoring, in some notable matches for Liverpool in the first half of last season, including a winner against Arsenal, Mellor has dropped out of the first team picture at Anfield with Peter Crouch, Fernando Morientes, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Djibril Cisse and Luis Garcia ahead of him.

Graham Rix, Hearts' head coach, has made the recruitment of a new forward a priority. "The striking area is something we must now look at," Rix said. "Edgar is going to be out for quite a while. He has strained his hamstring with the possibility of it being a slight tear. The length of his absence could be anything - one month, two months..."

Hearts hope to unveil at least one new signing today with Johnson expected to complete his transfer for a nominal fee.

The midfielder is the son of former Yeovil and Latvia manager, Gary, who is currently in charge of Bristol City. Johnson, 24, has made 191 league appearance for Yeovil and is qualified to play for Scotland through his Glasgow-born mother.

Bosnian midfielder Mirsad Beslija is expected to arrive in Edinburgh for talks with Hearts tomorrow and the Gorgie club are moving closer to striking a deal with the Lithuanian right-back Nerijus Barasa.

Taken from the Scotsman