Hearts boss will fight to stop sale of his best players

CSABA LASZLO will fight to fend off vultures currently circling Tynecastle for his players and prove to sceptics that Hearts have not become a selling club.

The manager believes a pre-contract agreement with Inverness midfielder Ian Black counteracts suggestions of a "fire sale" this month that would deprive him of many high-profile names.

Scouts from Rangers, Hull City, Middlesbrough and Fulham were present in the directors' box during Saturday's Edinburgh derby, assessing the likes of Christophe Berra, Andy Driver and Larry Kingston.

But Laszlo stressed today that, although some sales are inevitable, Hearts will also move to reinforce their squad before the transfer window closes.

The club are keen to unload Kingston and will consider offers for Marius Zaliukas, the Lithuanian defender. Incomings may involve Black, who has stated his desire for a quick-fire transfer to Tynecastle this month as opposed to a summer move, while FBK Kaunas defender Mantas Fridrikas is due to arrive at Riccarton to begin training with Hearts.

"We are the first team in the SPL to make a signing," said Laszlo. "We are bringing Ian Black to the club from Inverness in the summer and I think that shows that it is not just sell, sell, sell. Every day I hear that we are going to sell our big players but here we are bringing in the first player to any club in Scotland.

"We are active in the transfer market but we will not rush, we will sit and talk and decide and we keep our eyes open.

"Ian Black's decision to come to Hearts shows that he has ambition. I know that he has said that he eventually wants to move on to play at the highest level possible and that is good. He is a young player, and a Scottish player and he has a good attitude.

"If people want to play for the biggest clubs then they have to be playing well for us. The situation I have at the moment is that the most scouts in the country come to watch Hearts, not another club.

"A lot of people have been to games to watch my players but let me make it clear that there have been no firm offers. They come to look at my young players and I think that is a good motivation or incentive for other young players to want to come to join Hearts, because they know that people will take notice of them.

"If you have good young players in your side then people will want to come to games to watch them play and so I don't make a big deal out of it. Okay, maybe some players will leave, maybe they won't. I would like to bring more players into the club. In the striking position I would like to add players. I think everyone can see that we need to have more power up front. Also, I would like to bring in a player for the left-back position because, when Lee Wallace is out, we do not have anyone who plays only in that position."

The 20-year-old Fridrikas, a left-footed centre-back who can also operate at left-back, is earmarked to fill that void in the squad provided he impresses during training sessions with the Hearts first team.

Meanwhile, Christos Karipidis will miss Wednesday's SPL match against Motherwell due to an ankle injury sustained against Hibs.