Hearts confirm Koroman interest

Hearts have reportedly made a swoop for Serbian midfielder Ognjen Koroman.

The 28-year-old, who is currently on loan at Portsmouth, has failed to impress in the Premiership having only made three appearances at Fratton Park this season.

Hearts boss Valdas Ivanauskas insists the club would like to speak to the player and have contacted Russian club Terek Grozny about his availability.

Ivanauskas has been watching the player for over a year after he attempted to sign him last January, but Koroman chose a loan deal with Portsmouth instead.

He said: "We are interested but I don't want to speak too much because we have not signed him yet.

"We were interested in him last winter but he went to Portsmouth. Maybe this year we can look again but the deal is not perfect yet.

"He played a long time in the Russian league and for the first two years he was voted the league's best foreign player.

"I know him from international football too because in the qualifying games for the last World Cup, Lithuania were in a group with Serbia & Montenegro. He played against us in Belgrade so I know."