Romanov reveals he tried to get O'Connor

HEARTS owner Vladimir Romanov made an audacious late bid to sign striker Garry O'Connor as the transfer window was closing last week, it was revealed last night.

His move came after he had received initial encouragement from Lokomotiv Moscow that the Russian club was ready to do a deal.

O'Connor, the former Hibernian forward who joined Lokomotiv in March on a five-year deal worth £1.5 million, is playing regularly but rumours have circulated that he has found it difficult to settle in Moscow. "I wanted to buy O'Connor but the deal didn't happen," said Romanov. "I was in Moscow on 26 August to see him play for Lokomotiv against Vladivostok. He looked good after coming on as a substitute and scoring."

At the game, Romanov revealed he held discussions with Lokomotiv president Valeri Filatov about a possible transfer. "Filatov said he would get back to me on the Monday regarding an offer. Monday came, but there was no word back," he said.

Romanov returned to Moscow from Lithuania two days before the transfer window closed "but it was really too late to do anything."

Romanov did not rule out another attempt to secure O'Connor in January. "I'll think about it when time comes," he said. The Russian-born tycoon had hoped to see O'Connor play tomorrow when Scotland play Lithuania in Romanov's home city of Kaunas. But the striker is almost certainly ruled out of the game due to illness.

O'Connor has admitted to difficulties with the Russian language. "In terms of day-to-day life it's much easier now," he told a Russian newspaper. "I know what to find and where. But as far as communications problem is concerned I must admit my progress is still not so good. It turned out not to be easy to find the right Russian teacher for me."

Taken from the Scotsman