Hearts set to learn if they have won race for Makela
BARRY ANDERSON

HEARTS were expected to find out today if their £300,000 move for Finnish striker Juho Makela will be completed before tomorrow's closure of the transfer window.

Talks between Tynecastle officials and representatives from Makela's club, HJK Helsinki, were due to take place this afternoon as Hearts attempt to complete a triumvirate of new signings before midnight tomorrow night.

Head coach Graham Rix is keen to conclude deals for the Portuguese pair Jose Goncalves and Bruno Aguiar, however Goncalves has complicated the issue by returning to Switzerland, where he plays for FC Thun, after appearing for his national under-21 side last week.

Hearts were hopeful of flying the player to Edinburgh later today in order to sign him before tomorrow. Goncalves and Aguiar have been on trial at Riccarton for more than two weeks and it is understood the club are becoming impatient as they strive to sign both players in time.

Goncalves could cost as much as £500,000 as he is still contracted to Thun, although there would be no fee due for Aguiar as he has been released from Portuguese club Benfica.

The £800,000 transfer of Mirsad Beslija from Belgian club Racing Genk was completed late on Friday night after Hearts secured a work permit for the Bosnian international winger.

Beslija returned to Belgium immediately after signing but was back in Edinburgh last night to begin life with his new club and could make his long-awaited Hearts debut in Saturday's Scottish Cup meeting with Aberdeen at Tynecastle.

Genk's technical director Ariel Jacobs said: "We concluded all of our business with Hearts on Friday and Mirsad returned to Belgium over the weekend but I believe he is now in Scotland and we wish him well in his new career with Hearts."

Rix has revealed that Lithuanian winger Saulius Mikoliunas suffered a severe head knock in the incident that saw Hibs defender Gary Smith dismissed during Saturday's Edinburgh derby.

"Miko got a bang on the head and I thought Cesnauskis would give us a fresh pair of legs because their full-back had already been booked," said Rix.

"We played really well and I thought the boys adapted well to the slightly different formation. It took us a little while to settle in the game but, once we did, I thought we played some great stuff.

"I was pleased with the tempo we played at and it was a well-deserved victory because Hibs are a good side. At one stage I thought it was going to be five or six."

Rix showed his players footage of their 4-0 derby victory from August last week in an attempt to inspire them after the previous Saturday's dismal loss at Kilmarnock. "I'm a positive guy and although I wanted to show them what they did wrong last week, I also wanted to show them how good they were. And I think everyone saw how good they can be. The Edinburgh derby is a big game and we wanted to win it.

"I felt Calum Elliot was excellent. He needs a rest, to be honest, but he worked his socks off. And at the other end, whilst we don't like Craig Gordon having stops to make, when he does have to, he usually gets down well."

Meanwhile, Hearts ensured no delay in milking the commercial opportunities that have arisen from their derby victory by releasing their Demolition Derby II DVD, which was available to order from this morning. Priced £15, it contains all the action from Saturday's 4-1 triumph over Hibs and is available through the club website and at the Hearts superstore.

Taken from the Scotsman