Jambos await decision on £1.7m strike target Albert

HEARTS will learn in the next 24 hours if they have struck a deal for the Cameroonian international striker Albert Meyong.

The player is keen on a move to Edinburgh and his agent was due to hear from Hearts officials today on whether they are willing to pay the required £1.7million transfer fee to free him from his contract with Portuguese club Belenenses.

Meyong scored 17 goals last season, finishing as Portugal's top scorer, but could not prevent Belenenses being relegated from the Portuguese top flight, and he is now keen to try pastures new. In particular, the prospect of Champions League football with Hearts has a certain allure.

Vladimir Romanov, Hearts' majority shareholder, is keen to secure the player to reinforce the squad ahead of next season's European campaign.

However, he is also hoping to negotiate with Belenenses on the fee for a player who has no intention of remaining at the club since their relegation.

Paulo Teixeira, Meyong's representative, told the Evening News: "I think we will know today about the situation with Hearts. Albert is happy with the challenge they offer but the process is not completed yet. There is the transfer fee which is being spoken about through a third party and I have only just returned from Paris. Hopefully, now we can allow things to move along.

"We want the best for Albert and he knows the story with Hearts. The Champions League does excite him and we hope to speak more with the people involved with Hearts and find a conclusion within the next day or so."

Romanov was busy on other matters himself yesterday as he attended a ceremony with the K19 submariners in Lithuania. The millionaire banker was presented with a special award for his hospitality during the submariners' trip to Scotland to take in last weekend's Scottish Cup final.

In a further boost for the Tynecastle support, striker Edgaras Jankauskas is expected to renew his loan agreement from the Lithuanian FBK Kaunas to remain with Hearts next season.

The 30-year-old scored 12 goals last season and became a firm favourite with the fans as a central contributor to the securing of a Champions League qualifying place and the Scottish Cup.

Romanov is keen to retain his services and Jankauskas' attacking partnership with Roman Bednar will also continue with the Czech having already agreed his stay for another 12 months.

Meanwhile, Hearts have been ranked the 18th most popular club in the UK in a survey conducted by Roy Morgan International. According to their statistics, the Jam Tarts are the third best-supported club in Scotland with almost 400,000 fans.

Taken from the Scotsman