Elliot to be Hearts loan star

HEARTS striker Calum Elliot will leave the club before the end of the month provided a suitable loan deal can be agreed with another team in Scotland.

Elliot, 19, has found himself edged onto the perimeter of Valdas Ivanauskas' squad since the start of the season with both Dunfermline and Gretna monitoring his situation intensely.

The teenager was an integral member of the Scotland under-19 side which reached the final of the European Championships in Poland last month, however that success has had little influence on Ivanauskas who is content to let Elliot develop elsewhere for the time being. "I think it would be better for Calum and for everybody," said the Tynecastle head coach. "So many clubs are interested in him and I have had so many calls from people asking about him, but for me the team is very important and I will do what is best for Hearts.

"If he goes it should be right for the team. He is a young boy but he is not ready for the big football yet. What I want is a good team who will look after Calum, a good atmosphere and team spirit to help him develop. Because he is so young, we have to be careful with him.

"In the next few days we will know what is happening with Calum. He is a young boy but he is not ready for the big football yet. What I want is a good team who will look after Calum, a good atmosphere and team spirit to help him develop. Because he is so young, we have to be careful with him.

"In the next few days we will know what is happening with Calum. He is a very good, young player but he needs to play regularly. It's very important for him as a young boy. We will wait this week but next week there is an international gathering and no midweek games so that is when we will think about a loan deal."

Elliot appeared 34 times for Hearts last season, scoring six goals during Graham Rix's time in charge. Since Ivanauskas took over in March the forward emphasis has been on experience and consequently the teenager has suffered.

The Lithuanian is not ignorant of Elliot's potential, though, adding: "He has done well for me and he will be a special player. We need to find the right club for him."

With Paul Hartley still recovering from a groin injury Ivanauskas is still looking to supplement his midfield before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Spanish target Arnau Caldentey has completed a move from Barcelona's B side to Sunderland but Julien Brellier could return against Falkirk tomorrow after he and Deividas Cesnauskis were forced to sit out the AEK Athens defeat on Wednesday with flu.

"I think Julien will have a chance but Deividas is not looking too good," admitted Ivanauskas. "We will try to have a look at them between now and tomorrow's match but certainly Julien has a better chance."

Hearts have no plans to revert their European matches back to Tynecastle if they drop into the UEFA Cup following the return leg with AEK on August 23.

The club insist that Murrayfield will remain their European home for the duration of this season.

Meanwhile, the Gorgie club are waiting to hear FIFA's decision on the amount of compensation they will receive for Andy Webster's move to Premiership side Wigan Athletic.

The defender had almost a year left on his Hearts contract but invoked a clause in his contract, allowing him to 'serve notice' of his intention to leave the Tynecastle club at the end of the last campaign as he was in the third year of a four-year contract.

Wigan boss Paul Jewell is delighted that the drawn-out transfer has is coming to a conclusion and believes the player will be a huge asset to his side and said: "The delay has been frustrating but I really wanted this deal completed.

"Andy is a player that I think can make a big difference to the team. He has all the qualities that I like in my defenders."

Taken from the Scotsman