No Hearts move for Riordan, says agent

HEARTS' reported move for Celtic's Derek Riordan was dismissed today by the player's agent.

However, the Scotland internationalist has received loan offers from both Hibs and Leeds United.

Celtic are keen to recoup a fee for 25-year-old Riordan and are currently resisting any loan deals. Hearts have not made a formal offer but majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov is an admirer of the striker and would like to secure his services on a free transfer if he was able to negotiate his release from Parkhead.

Riordan is unhappy at the lack of first-team opportunities in Glasgow, where he moved from Hibs in June 2006 for £170,000, and wants to leave. But with only loan proposals from Easter Road and Elland Road forthcoming so far, his representative, Jim McArthur, expects him to stay with Celtic.

"Unfortunately for Derek, it looks like he will be at Celtic beyond the transfer window as the club are not receptive to loan deals and that's all that's been offered at the moment," McArthur told the Evening News.

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo is monitoring FBK Kaunas' Croatian forward Luka Anicic and Serbian striker Bojan Mamic, and admits his attack needs urgent attention following last night's penalty shootout defeat by Airdrie United in the Co-operative Insurance Cup.

"This is an area we must look at," he said. "We have a lot of options open and a lot of possibilities at the moment. We check any possibility we have but I don't want to comment too much on new players. We always have offers and names and we will see what we can do."

Hearts have also been credited with interest in Alan Gow, the Rangers forward, and Laszlo admitted he would be receptive to a possible loan deal for the 25-year-old. "We are always interested in good players. I think if we can get a player of this quality then why not?"

Laszlo was due to hold talks with Larry Kingston today after his reaction to being substituted last night. The Hungarian said he will not tolerate Kingston's outburst, which involved him angrily wagging his finger at the coach.

"He was unsatisfied with his performance and I think this is normal," said Laszlo. "He must accept you have opponents on the field and not every day is your best day but you cannot lose your face. We will talk today. You have some rules and we can't accept this."