Hearts settle outstanding wages

Csaba Laszlo says he is concentrating on matters on the pitch

Hearts have moved to allay financial fears at Tynecastle after paying all outstanding wages to their players.

The Edinburgh club have twice been late this season in paying their playing staff, but manager Csaba Laszlo said morale in the squad was good.

"I know everybody has got his wages and I concentrate only with the players on Motherwell," he said.

Meanwhile, BBC Scotland has learned that four companies are taking the club to court over outstanding debts.

The Hearts players receive weekly payments from the club's parent company, Ukio Bankas Investment Group, which is owned by Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov.

Laszlo said that this week he had been concentrating on getting his players ready for the league game against Motherwell.

MY SPORT: DEBATE What do Hearts fans think of the wages issue?

"My power was only to concentrate on this game and to tell the players how important it is," he said.

""Everybody talked very positively about beating Rangers last week and we can't take Motherwell too easily.

"If we beat Motherwell we can take a big step forward to stabilise our position. So, I don't think about other things."

Hearts' players and staff found themselves in a similar position in September, when they had to wait almost a week to be paid.

On that occasion, the Tynecastle club blamed the problem on a technical hitch.

Meanwhile, Arbroath claim Hearts owe them £14,000 following the sale of defender Andy Webster to Wigan Athletic.

The Scottish Second Division club sold Webster to Hearts in 2001 and claim they are owed money after his move to Wigan triggered a sell-on fee clause.

Arbroath have contacted the Scottish FA, asking for their help to recover the money.

And a Hearts player's agent contacted the SFA earlier this week claiming he is also owed money by the club.

The unnamed party has been promised payment of what is believed to be a six-figure sum by the end of the year.

The SFA said it has been asked to act as an arbiter in that dispute.