Hearts closing in on Hleb capture

Work permit complications blocked previous bids by Tynecastle owner Vladimir Romanov to sign the younger brother of Arsenal star Alexander.

But Nikolai Shpilevsk told the Edinburgh Evening News: "Slava and I spoke with Romanov and it looks very good for him to come to Hearts.

"We think he will be in Edinburgh by the end of the month."

The 24-year-old former Grasshopper and Hamburg forward plays for MTZ Ripo Minsk - a club that Romanov also backs financially.

MTZ Ripo, managed by one-time Hearts coach Eduard Malofeev, are eight games into their domestic season.

"I speak with Slava every day and he is desperate to get to Hearts," added Shpilevsk.

"We don't want to talk about the contract because it has not been signed yet, but it will be longer than one year. It will be a permanent transfer."

Hleb, a member of the Belarus international squad, was a substitute in the recent European Championship qualifying double-header with Bulgaria.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Hearts fans' views on My Sport
BBC Where I Live - Scotland
Edinburgh weather
BBC Sport SPL
Heart of Midlothian
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites