Aguiar is out of contract with Hearts in the summer

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo wants up to six new signings for next season but has told Bruno Aguiar he can win a big-money move if he stays at Tynecastle.

Aguiar, 28, is out of contract in the summer and has yet to agree a new deal.

"The decision has to come from Bruno, but we would like to keep him," said Laszlo. "I told him that maybe next season he will get a better club.

"If you go on the Europa Cup stage, after that nobody can stop you leaving because you have so many offers."

Laszlo said that the same applied to other players who could attract interest in the summer - Andrew Driver, Christos Karapidis, Lee Wallace and Calum Elliot.

But he hinted that the situation was particularly poignant for Aguiar as the Portuguese former Benfica midfielder, who was reluctant to talk about his future when questioned at the weekend, had missed much of the last 18 months through injury.

We are focussing on five or six players, that's my wish Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo

And the manager, who thought the club ought to be rewarded for standing by the player during that period, pointed to Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic as a prime example.

"Three years before he joined Manchester, he was offered to a small Hungarian club and they said 'Vidic?'," he said.

"Now, having played in the Champions League, he could, from his own pocket, buy three Hungarian clubs."

Laszlo intends to firm up his signing targets with Hearts sports director Anatoly Korobochka with the club leading the chase for third spot and a Europa Cup qualifying spot.

"We are focusing on five or six players, that's my wish," said the manager.

Laszlo appeared to suggest that a new striker, cover for Lee Wallace at left back, a central defender to replace Christophe Berra, who was sold to Wolves in January, and a central midfielder were his priorities.

"At the moment, the market is a little bit crazy," he said, pointing to the number of players likely to be seeking new clubs and the number of coaches being sacked in Germany, Switzerland, Albania and Belgium.

However, he was hopeful of keeping his own top performers for next season.

Laszlo was heartened by positive words coming from Driver, Wallace and Michael Stewart about the prospects for the team next season.

Karipidis, Robbie Neilson and Lithuanians Saulius Mikoliunas, Marius Zaliukas and Deividas Cesnauskis are among the Hearts players out of contract in the summer.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version