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Hartley next in line after Pressley signs new deal
JOHN DOCHERTY
STEVEN Pressley, the Hearts captain, is expected to reveal today that he has signed a new two-year deal with the Tynecastle club, who have also offered midfielder Paul Hartley an improved contract.
Pressley’s agreement could extend to three years depending on first-team appearances. The news is a boost for head coach John Robertson, who has lost experienced first-team players Mark De Vries and Alan Maybury since succeeding Craig Levein.
Pressley, 31, whose current contract expires in the summer, has missed Hearts’ past four games with swollen glands, but is in line to make his comeback in the league match against Livingston at Tynecastle on Saturday.
Hartley, meanwhile, has been given two weeks to mull over the offer of a new two-and-a-half-year contract. The midfielder was the subject of a bid from Celtic during the January transfer window and even handed in a transfer request before the Parkhead side were scared off by Hearts’ £1million asking price.
Sergejus Fedotovas, the Tynecastle club’s interim chief executive, said: "We have had discussions with the player’s agent about a new contract for Paul Hartley. They asked for an increase of a certain amount and, while we didn’t meet that figure, we have offered a significant increase on his current contract.
"We gave him two weeks’ time to consider it and, if he decided that wasn’t for him, then we suggested we may come back to that issue at the end of the season."
He added: "We recognise that Paul is a very important and valuable player for us. And that has been mirrored by the offer of improved terms in addition to the increase in length of contract. He still has another year to run on his present deal after this season and we are hopeful he will sign a new contract with the club."
Hearts have also signed Icelandic striker Hjalmar Thorarinsson on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
JOHN DOCHERTY
STEVEN Pressley, the Hearts captain, is expected to reveal today that he has signed a new two-year deal with the Tynecastle club, who have also offered midfielder Paul Hartley an improved contract.
Pressley’s agreement could extend to three years depending on first-team appearances. The news is a boost for head coach John Robertson, who has lost experienced first-team players Mark De Vries and Alan Maybury since succeeding Craig Levein.
Pressley, 31, whose current contract expires in the summer, has missed Hearts’ past four games with swollen glands, but is in line to make his comeback in the league match against Livingston at Tynecastle on Saturday.
Hartley, meanwhile, has been given two weeks to mull over the offer of a new two-and-a-half-year contract. The midfielder was the subject of a bid from Celtic during the January transfer window and even handed in a transfer request before the Parkhead side were scared off by Hearts’ £1million asking price.
Sergejus Fedotovas, the Tynecastle club’s interim chief executive, said: "We have had discussions with the player’s agent about a new contract for Paul Hartley. They asked for an increase of a certain amount and, while we didn’t meet that figure, we have offered a significant increase on his current contract.
"We gave him two weeks’ time to consider it and, if he decided that wasn’t for him, then we suggested we may come back to that issue at the end of the season."
He added: "We recognise that Paul is a very important and valuable player for us. And that has been mirrored by the offer of improved terms in addition to the increase in length of contract. He still has another year to run on his present deal after this season and we are hopeful he will sign a new contract with the club."
Hearts have also signed Icelandic striker Hjalmar Thorarinsson on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
;-)
