Union in attempt to free Webster

Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City are all interested in signing the Scotland central defender.

But he has a year left of his contract with the Scottish Premier League club.

And his move has been held up because of legal complications after he triggered a new Fifa clause allowing him to hand in his notice.

An SPFA statement stressed that talks were ongoing with Hearts but that they hoped an amicable solution could be rreached.

A Fifa tribunal would have to decide on a transfer fee, but the rule suggests that Hearts would only receive the player's annual wage by way of compensation.

Wigan last week expressed themselves confident of signing the 24-year-old.

Paul Jewell's outfit were still waiting to hear back from world football's governing body on what could become a test case for the new ruling.

Fifa now allows players in the third year of a four-year deal to join a club in another country.

But Webster had to hand in his notice within 15 days of the end of the season to comply with the loophole.

A Wigan spokesman told BBC Sport: "If it was a straightforward transfer, the deal would be done."

He believes that, once Fifa give them clearance, Webster will move to the JJB Stadium.

Webster, who handed in his notice at Hearts at the end of last season, has already met twice with Wigan.

But agent Charlie Duddy has told BBC Sport that Mark Hughes' Blackburn are also keen on talking to the player.

Webster refused to extend his Hearts contract and he was frozen out for the latter part of last season.

He missed the run-in to the Scottish Premier League and Hearts' Scottish Cup final victory.

Taken from the BBC