Unsettled Copil is told to stay away by Hearts

HEARTS have ordered Dumitru Copil to stay away from Riccarton until pre-season training begins, fearful that the AWOL Romanian only wants to return to ensure he gets paid.

The club are adopting a hard-line approach after the Evening News revealed last month that the wayward teenager was preparing to fly back to Edinburgh and apologise to senior coaching staff. He has been living at his family home in Arad, western Romania, without Hearts' permission since March after complaining of homesickness and frustration at a lack of first-team opportunities.

Tynecastle officials remain concerned that Copil's rethink is borne out of financial reasons and have told him to stay away. His £375-a-week wages were suspended due to breach of contract when he left but would restart if he came back. He is likely to head back to Romania at the end of the season – a mere two weeks away – and be paid throughout the summer, but in those circumstances Hearts doubt whether he would return for next season.

As such, they are challenging the 18-year-old to show his commitment before allowing him back and have sent a training programme for him to follow in the interim.

"Hearts worry that Dumitru will come back now for two weeks then leave and get paid all summer and not return anyway," said the player's agent, Adrian Stefanescu. "He was supposed to go back two weeks ago, Hearts made the decision not to take him back until next season. He should be back in Edinburgh around the middle of June. Darren Murray, the under-19s coach, forwarded a training programme for him.

"He will train by himself in Romania and will definitely go back if Hearts want him. I understand Hearts worrying that he will get money over the summer and not show for pre-season. His wages are still cancelled, but he realises his own mistake. He is disappointed at not being allowed back for now, but he knows he is responsible for what happened."

Copil's two-year contract carries the option of a five-year extension due to be invoked this summer, but discussions on that matter have been suspended for now.

"I had a serious discussion with Dumitru," added Stefanescu. "I told him if you go back you have to be serious and work hard. He must also remember it's different for me because my reputation is affected by what he does.

"It's entirely Hearts' decision now. There are other teams from Romania and Italy interested in him, but they don't know what they want to do. If Hearts don't want him, they should inform him and let him go. If they are not ready to give him another chance then there are other options."