HEARTS ARE poised to offer Avram Grant a return to football after the former Chelsea manager forged an unlikely alliance with the Scottish club’s colourful Lithuanian owner, Vladimir Romanov.

Grant, who has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea 14 months ago, has struck a close friendship with Romanov having been introduced to him by Roman Abramovich. The Chelsea owner and Romanov are firm allies on account of business dealings in the former Soviet Union.

Hearts are now attempting to piece together what a senior club figure last night described as an “ideal scenario” where Grant replaces Anatoly Korobochka as director of sport at Tynecastle.

Korobochka, who is set to take a job in Russia or Germany, left Hearts in midweek. Moves will now be made within the next fortnight to find Korobochka’s successor, with Grant rapidly emerging as Romanov’s preferred candidate.

“It is premature to say he (Grant) will be employed,” added the source. “But he and Mr Romanov will talk about it.”

One sticking point will be Grant’s salary demands, given that Romanov has implemented drastic cost-cutting in an attempt to balance the books at Hearts.

It may be that the former Portsmouth director of football accepts an advisory role with Romanov’s business, the Ukio Bankas Investment Group, with a wider remit.

Guardian Service