Hearts' Czech star Pospisil set to prolong stay with club

MICHAL POSPISIL'S agent today confirmed that the Czech striker is virtually certain to stay with Hearts next season despite interest from Norway.

Whilst admitting that Pospisil had met with the Stabaek chairman Einar Schultz, Viktor Kolar relayed his belief that the talks had been conducted only out of courtesy on the part of the striker and that he would remain in Edinburgh.

Stabaek have monitored Pospisil's situation at Hearts since January and noted his dissatisfaction with a continual bit-part role under interim head coach Valdas Ivanauskas. Schultz managed to lure Pospisil to a meeting for tentative transfer discussions during a recent trip to visit friends in Oslo.

However, with the player on honeymoon after marrying his long-term girlfriend Gabriella in Prague last week, Kolar has spoken out to quash the notion that his client is considering quitting Scotland.

"It is probable now that Michal will stay in Edinburgh, everything looks that way," said Kolar. "He spoke with Stabaek, but he doesn't have to talk with them again and things weren't all that serious.

"If he does leave, it will only be for a very good offer that suits both the player and Hearts. Otherwise, I don't expect he will move in the summer. We haven't discussed transfer fees with Hearts or anything.

"I think if there was a club who really wanted to speak about buying Michal then I would find out about a fee. Or the club could contact Hearts, but there hasn't been anything mentioned about a possible transfer fee yet and I don't think there will be one."

The confirmation is likely to please the Hearts support, many of whom have become concerned at the thought of losing arguably their most potent striker.

However, the news is unlikely to deter the club's majority shareholder, Vladimir Romanov, who seems keen to recruit a proven international goalscorer in time for the start of the Champions League qualifying round next month.

He has already seen an attempt to sign the Cameroonian internationalist Albert Meyong dissolve, and Hearts have also been linked with Duisburg's South Korean forward Ahn Jung-hwan.

Taken from the Scotsman