Brellier agent confident about longer deal

THE agent of Julien Brellier today stressed that his client has no desire to leave Hearts and hopes for agreement with the club over an extension to his contract.

Maurizio de Giorgis, the Genoa-based agent who has represented Brellier since his time with Inter Milan, admits that negotiations to keep the Frenchman at Tynecastle beyond the end of his current deal have stalled, although he believes only temporarily.

Brellier signed a 12-month extension with Hearts at the end of last season, however, De Giorgis has moved to douse the suggestion that his player is certain to quit next summer. He feels more talks over Brellier's future could be imminent, possibly even on a one-to-one basis with majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

"Julien has no desire to leave the club whatsoever. He is happy there," said De Giorgis. "We couldn't find an economic agreement to prolong his contract for the next two or three years as we had hoped but I can tell you we were pretty far on in our negotiations.

"You never know, maybe we can speak again with the people at the club, or maybe even the president himself. Maybe in January they will realise they need Julien and they can call us again. I'm sure we will find a solution. Julien wants to stay there, he doesn't want to go anywhere."

De Giorgis and his brother, Giorgio, two weeks ago for discussions aimed at tying Brellier to Hearts beyond next summer. They are adamant that the failure to do so does not necessarily mean the end of the 24-year-old's time in Edinburgh.

"He will be playing for Hearts with all the usual passion because he only has a willingness to help the team," added Maurizio. "He loves the city and the fans so as we stand his contract is for this season and he is happy with it. Of course, he would like to make a little more money and that's why myself and my brother came to Edinburgh to discuss the situation. We left the meeting on good terms, we shook hands and there were no hard feelings. I don't think it's finished at that."

Brellier is expected to retain his place in Hearts' starting line-up for tomorrow's visit to Ibrox, whilst Lithuanian striker Edgaras Jankauskas could return to the side after overcoming hamstring trouble. He opted to remain at Riccarton this week to undertake fitness work rather than travel to Chisinau to play in Lithuania's international friendly with Moldova.

New midfield arrival Marius Zaliukas is included in the squad and could win a place on the substitutes' bench, although Deividas Cesnauskis is still struggling to overcome the flu virus that kept him out of last week's draw with Falkirk.

Assistant coach John McGlynn said: "Cesnauskis came into training yesterday and did some work on his own but I think Saturday is going to come too soon. Takis Fyssas is available, so that's good news for us."

Taken from the Scotsman