Beslija in Limbo

MIRSAD BESLIJA'S career was shrouded in uncertainty today after Racing Genk admitted refusing Hearts' offer of returning the Bosnian winger, claiming they have no place for him in Belgium.

Willy Reynders, Genk's sporting director, has told the Evening News that Beslija has already been replaced at the Fenix Stadium, which prompted them to reject the chance to take the player back.
Hearts still owe Genk 80 per cent of Beslija's record £800,000 transfer fee from his move to Scotland in January. The Tynecastle club hoped to avoid paying the remaining £640,000 by offering the 26-year-old back to the Belgian club after he failed to impress in his first six months in Edinburgh.

However Genk are adamant that they will receive the money due. They have been given sterling service by Beslija's right-sided replacement, Thomas Chatelle, since January and are threatening to report Hearts to FIFA if they do not pay the outstanding balance.

Speaking from Germany, where he has been concluding the transfer of the Croatian international striker Ivan Bosnjak from Dinamo Zagreb to Genk, Reynders said: "We didn't want to take Beslija back because, for Genk, the situation is over.

"We have other players playing in the team now. There is no point in us having three or four players in the same position.

"Beslija was a good player for Genk, he went to another club and we have brought another player into our side.

"That's what happens. In Chatelle, we have a young player who has done very well on the right side."

Reynders admitted that his club are ready to take a firm stance against Hearts if the issue of the outstanding transfer fee is not resolved quickly.

"There is still a part of the transfer which Hearts have to pay for Beslija.

"I think now we have decided to go another way because we have been waiting too long and we will go to FIFA.

"I know that they haven't made the payment and I know that even the player has had problems there. But that is all I want to say at the moment. We still hope that this matter can be resolved."

Taken from the Scotsman