BOLTON WANDERERS were one of five English clubs watching Andrius Velicka at Tynecastle on Saturday as the Lithuanian's goal secured Hearts a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock.
Velicka prodded home his tenth of the season to equalise Paul di Giacomo's opener and his potent form has alerted Gary Megson, the Bolton manager, who dispatched a scout to Edinburgh to assess the player. The Evening News can reveal that one other En
glish Premier League club and three Championship clubs were also in attendance to monitor Velicka.
ATTENTION: Andrius Velicka
The Trotters face the prospect of their principal strike force being dissolved this month, prompting Megson to seek reinforcements. El-Hadji Diouf left the Reebok Stadium yesterday to join Senegal's preparations for the African Nations' Cup, whilst Nicolas Anelka is expected to complete a £10million transfer to Chelsea before the transfer window closes.
Megson views Velicka as a potential replacement who wouldn't command an exorbitant transfer fee. Though Hearts are keen to retain the services of their top goalscorer, the club's majority shareholder, Vladimir Romanov, is understood to be willing to accept offers in the region of £2m for the Lithuanian internationalist.
Interim manager Stephen Frail was delighted with Velicka's contribution against Kilmarnock, in particular the goal which halted Hearts' depressing run of six straight defeats.
"I know what Velicka gives me every week and I had to drag him off at the end," he said.
Megson watched Bolton exit the FA Cup at home to Sheffield United on Saturday without Anelka. He admits his side are not best prepared for losing influential players, hence the interest in Velicka and other strikers.
He said: "It is a loss, but we knew this was coming. In terms of contingency plans and making sure we are in the right shape knowing they are going, I am not sure we are.
"However that is something we have to cope with."
Velicka's compatriot, Deividas Cesnauskis, was Hearts' most threatening player against Kilmarnock in his first starting appearance at Tynecastle since October 2006.
"I played against Dundee United and I went on and I thought I did not so bad. I wanted to play," he said.
"It is very difficult to be out of the team for every player.
"Every player wants to play on the pitch and when I sit on the bench I cannot watch the game.
"I want to do something good. It is always easy when you watch and difficult when you play.
"I believe in the future and I hope this team will go forward from this position.
"I think we have good players and, with players back from injury and Larry Kingston, we can come back and do something."
The full article contains 454 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
