Aguiar tells Hearts 'make me an offer'

BARRY ANDERSON
HEARTS midfielder Bruno Aguiar today invited the club to settle his future by making him a formal contract offer to stay at Tynecastle.
Aguiar's current deal, worth in the region of £8000 a week, is due to expire at the end of the season but senior Hearts officials have indicated that they would like to retain his services next season.

Anatoli Korobochka, the club's sport director, held informal discussions with Aguiar earlier this month while the player's agent, Paulo Barbosa, has also been liaising with Tynecastle officials. However, there has been no definitive outcome to the talks as yet.

The 28-year-old Portuguese is keen to remain in Edinburgh with the prospect of a Europa League campaign next season. He said that Hearts would prefer to secure their league placing before deciding on contract renewals but added that he is now anxious to finalise his future.

"I have not had an offer yet, just a little bit of speaking. Of course, I would like one because I need to decide my future," Aguiar said.

"I spoke a little bit with Anatoli two or three weeks ago. He told me he liked me as a player but that we must look at the situation at Hearts. We will see in the future. I think Hearts want to keep me but they want to see if they will stay in third position. Preparations for the new season are waiting on this.

"I want to stay but if I must leave then this is life. In the future, you don't know what will happen, but just now I don't know anything about my future. I cannot say anything because I don't know what is happening. We are speaking a little bit but nothing concrete."

Aguiar's primary focus is on helping the club qualify for European competition. Hearts are currently third in the SPL and hold a five-point advantage over Aberdeen and Dundee United in joint fourth place.

"Now the most important thing is to put Hearts in Europe, it's important for me that I help the club," he added. "After, we will see what happens. Just now I am looking at the final games of the season and trying to do my best for Hearts.

"I want to play for Hearts in these last nine games and then we can see what happens in the future."

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo has reinstated Danish forward Mike Tullberg to his squad for tomorrow's visit to Ibrox, while Lithuanian defender Marius Zaliukas will also come into contention.

Andy Driver, Gary Glen and Larry Kingston remain unavailable through injury.

Taken from the Scotsman