PAUL HARTLEY is targeting Saturday's clash with Rangers for his Hearts comeback.

Paul Hartley celebrating his goal

Paul Hartley is close to full fitness again.

The inflential Scotland midfielder has been sidelined since the close-season with a niggling groin injury.

But if he comes through a bounce game against Gretna today unscathed he could be thrust back into action for the weekend Ibrox crunch.

Following weeks of training under the supervision of the club's medical staff, Hartley is ready to take the lastest step in his comeback bid by playing 45 minutes against the First Division leaders at the Jambos' Riccarton academy.

Coming through the Gretna friendly without suffering a relapse will also boost the 29-year-old's chances of being available for the return leg of Hearts' Champions League qualifier at AEK Athens next week.

Coach John McGlynn said: "Paul went away for the Scotland gathering at St Andrews but he will come back for a closed-doors game against Gretna on Tuesday.

"We will assess him in that and see how he gets on but he won't play a full game - it will probably just be 45 minutes.

"If he comes through the game okay we will have to decide if he is ready to play in a game of the intensity of a Rangers match.

"There will be many things to take into consideration. Paul has been doing a lot of training with the physio and the sports scientists and to get him to the next stage would be to play him in a game and that is where we are at at the moment."

Hearts were last night putting the finishing touches on a deal for Lithuanian midfielder Marius Zaliukas.

The 22-year-old FBK Kaunas player is in Edinburgh to complete his move to Tynecastle and link up with compatriots Edgar Jankauskas, Nerijus Barasa, Devidas Cesnauskis and Saulius Mikoliunas.

And the Jambos are also lining up a move for Benfica defender Tiago Gomes, who has come through the ranks of the Lisbon giants.

Bruno Aguiar played alongside the 20-year-old leftback at the Stadium of Light - and has recommended him to Hearts coach Valdas Ivanauskas.

Club officials have opened talks with Benfica about a loan deal for the defender, who is rated at £500,000.

Gomes is also interesting Benfica's Portuguese league rivals Leiria and Amadora. But he is strongly tempted by the prospect of Champions League football this season - as well as the chance to team up again with Aguiar and Takis Fyssas, who also joined Hearts from Benfica.

Taken from the Daily Record