GEORGE Burley's hopes of being reunited with the Hearts pair of Andy Webster and Rudi Skacel at Southampton could depend on the outcome of an extraordinary general meeting being held by the English club on Monday.

It emerged yesterday that Rupert Lowe, the Southampton chairman, had opened talks with Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov on the possible purchase of Webster and Skacel. No agreement on a fee for either player has been reached during the discussions, which are ongoing.

However, Lowe will no longer be in a position to bargain with Romanov if he fails to stave off a hostile takeover bid for Southampton at next Monday's egm at the St Mary's Stadium.

Michael Wilde, a Jersey-based property developer who holds about 25 per cent of the club's shares, is leading a consortium seeking to remove Lowe from office. He also wants to remove Sir Clive Woodward as the club's director of football.

Lowe, who has been the subject of severe criticism from sections of the Southampton support since the club's relegation from the Premiership in 2005, suffered a major blow to his hopes of remaining in charge when local businessman Leon Crouch, who owns ten per cent of the shares, announced he will back Wilde at the egm.

While Southampton's interest in midfielder Skacel has long been in the public domain, news that manager Burley also wants to sign Scottish international defender Webster was let slip by Lowe when he attended a fans' forum in advance of the egm.

Webster, who was left out of the Hearts team at the end of last season after Romanov refused to negotiate with the player's agent, Charles Duddy, over a new contract, has handed in his notice to the club. While he still has a year remaining on his deal, under FIFA rules he is entitled to sign for another club from tomorrow without Hearts' permission.

Skacel, who joined Hearts on loan from Marseille last season, is also in dispute with the Tynecastle club over his contract. He insists he is a free agent while Hearts claim they have the option to sign him for another two years.

Taken from the Scotsman