Hearts need Hartley - Levein

Former Hearts head coach Craig Levein believes the Tynecastle side will not fire on all cylinders until Paul Hartley returns from injury.

The Edinburgh club have signed only one new player in the close season - striker Mauricio Pinilla, 23, on a season-long loan from Sporting Lisbon - although Hearts boss Valdas Ivanauskas is hopeful of landing defender Hristos Karipidis from PAOK Salonika.

Hearts will travel to Bosnia for the Champions League second qualifying round second leg against Siroki Brijeg tomorrow without Hartley and Rudi Skacel, who joined Southampton at the weekend.

Now, after watching the 2-1 Bank of Scotland Premier League win at Dunfermline at the weekend, Levein believes the club must look for another goalscoring midfielder.

He said: "I thought Hearts did all right against Dunfermline, but I think there are a couple of things which have to be borne in mind.

"Their most influential player Paul Hartley was missing so the midfield was not 100% right.

"Hearts do not have another player like him and struggled to get in touch from the midfield to the strikers.

"Paul also scored a terrific amount of goals last season, so they are far less potent without him.

"They have not invested in the transfer market yet for another player like him as a back-up.

"But, if you take away the goals from Hartley and Skacel, then you must be looking to strengthen in that area."

Meanwhile, Karipidis has urged PAOK Salonika president Ioannis Goumenos to allow him to join the Jambos.

The Edinburgh club have failed to reach agreement with the Greek club on a fee for the defender.

Now the 23-year-old is hoping a solution to the impasse can be reached to leave him free to return to his home country for a possible Champions League clash with AEK Athens.

Karipidis told the Edinburgh Evening News: "If I go to Hearts, it would be great to have the chance to play against another Greek team. I believe we could beat them.

"I want to sign and I'm waiting for PAOK to agree with Hearts about the money for me.

"My wish is for it to be done quickly and I hope the deal will be finished in the next few days, maybe even by tomorrow.

"I want things completed and I want to be there with Hearts in Bosnia this week and become part of the squad.

"I cannot do anything to make a deal happen, only the teams can do this."

Karipidis has already sought the advice of countryman Takis Fyssas, who joined Hearts last summer.

He added: "I spoke with Takis Fyssas and he has told me a lot about the club, the country, the players and even the weather.

"He says a move to Hearts would work very well for a young player like me. I know they finished in second place last year and have a very good team.

"I am back in Salonika now and I will wait to see what happens with the agreement.

"If all goes well, I will fly to Edinburgh as soon as the teams agree."