Hearts cool interest in Ahn

HEARTS' interest in the South Korea international Ahn Jung-Hwan appears to have cooled after the player's agent revealed he has received an offer from a Premiership club.

Ahn, 30, was linked with a move to Scotland earlier this month following talks with the Tynecastle club. The MSV Duisburg forward was also linked with Celtic and Rangers.

His representative, Tom Sanders, says there is no longer any dialogue with Hearts, but that the striker already has an offer from a Premiership club.

He said: "There are no talks taking place with Hearts. There were talks but not now. There is a lot of interest from other clubs but not from Scotland."

Ahn enjoyed an impressive start to the World Cup when he grabbed the winner for South Korea in the their opening group game against Togo on Tuesday.

Sanders added: "Everyone can see that he has had a very good start to the World Cup. But there are two more games to play so we will see how he gets on in those games. Maybe there will be more interest afterwards, and maybe there will be interest from Hearts, but I don't know."

Hearts have been warned they will be reported to FIFA if they do not pay the outstanding transfer fee for midfielder Mirsad Beslija within a week.

The 26-year-old moved to Tynecastle for a club record £850,000 in January from Racing Genk but the Belgian club have set a deadline of 20 June to receive the remaining 80 per cent of the transfer fee.

Genk finance director Filip Aerden said: "Our lawyers have been in contact with Hearts and we have given them one week to pay the outstanding amount. If payment is not forthcoming by then, we will take further action and get in touch with FIFA."

Hearts will again be sponsored by Vladimir Romanov's Ukio Bankas next season.

Taken from the Scotsman