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"Lithuanian" Edinburgh club continues to search for reinforcement - Valdas Ivanauskas' coached team could be joined by defender from Greece Hristos Karipidis and Chilean forward Mauricio Pinilla, it is also reported that an unnamed five Lithuanians from "Kaunas" were training with the team. 23-year-old H.Karipidis, who belongs to Salonika's "PAOK" club and shares the same agent as compatriot Takis Fyssas who already plays at the club, underwent a medical examination in Edinburgh on Monday and should move to "Hearts" after an agreement is reached with both clubs. "He has already undergone a medical examination, and now we are waiting for the results. We looked at Hristos and he is a player we like. If everything goes well, and we can reach an agreement about his contract buyout with "PAOK," as his contract is still valid there for another year, then we hope he can join us," said "Hearts" head coach V.Ivanauskas. The Greek would strengthen the midfield defense of the Scottish team, which was depleted when it became clear that Portuguese Jose Goncalves would be unable to play for about three months, while Scottish national team defender Andy Webster will no longer be in the team - he has already used a FIFA rule allowing players competing in foreign clubs for the third year of a four-year contract to move to another club abroad for a small fee, and is likely to move to "Wigan" in the English "Premier" League for just £250,000. Meanwhile, the attacking force of "Hearts" could be strengthened by 22-year-old Chilean national team forward M.Pinilla, who belongs to Lisbon's "Sporting," and last season was loaned to Santander's "Racing," having previously been loaned out to Vigo's "Celta" and Verona's "Chievo" while belonging to Milan's "Inter." It is believed that the player has already agreed to move to Edinburgh, and this week the club will finalize negotiations for his one-year loan with the option to extend it for another year. "I can't wait to play in Scotland, and I am thrilled that an agreement has been reached. My goal is to play in the English "Premier" League, and I hope that the opportunity to do so will be provided by good performance in Scotland," quoted the Chilean's words in the Portuguese press. With the team's ranks depleted - besides J.Goncalves, Lithuanian Nerijus Barasa will also miss the start of the season, who injured his Achilles tendon in a friendly match against Cluj's "Ecomax," recently sidelined players include team leaders goalkeeper Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley, and Rudi Skacel is also prepared to move to England - and as the Champions League qualifying rounds approach, "Hearts" have been looking for reinforcements for some time. "I hope we will have new faces. I can't say too much because there is still a lot of work ahead, but we are working hard to find the right people. At the moment we have many players under review, but for now we are just looking at them," said V.Ivanauskas. Even five players arrived from Lithuania for the Edinburgh club's trial. Although the club did not announce it, it is speculated that five former pupils of the club's sports director Eduardo Malofejvo are training with "Hearts," representatives of the reigning "A League" champions "Kaunas" - unofficially, defender Tomas Kancelskis, safeties Marius Zaliukas, Kestutis Ivaskevicius, and forwards Gvidas Juska and Andrius Velicka.
