Italian national football team goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon signs autographs for fans outside of his hotel in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday. The Italian players, who are in Brazil to compete in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, visited the famous Christ the Redemeer statue atop the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro. CENTRE: Spanish national team defender Sergio Ramos signs autographs upon his arrival at the hotel in Recife, northeastern Brazil, yesterday. Spain will play their first match of the FIFA Confederation Cup against Uruguay at the Arena Pernambuco Stadium in Recife tomorrow. RIGHT: Mexico’s national team player Raul Jimenez arrives at a hotel in Rio de Janeiro.
LONDON: Financially troubled Scottish Premier League club Hearts yesterday put its entire squad up for sale, as it battles to address a funding crisis and debt repayments that threaten its existence.
The Edinburgh side said on its website heartsfc.co.uk that it would “consider offers for the players of the current squad, including the most promising talent in order for the most necessary and important payments to be made”.
“The board had planned to bring income in through the sale of players while considering the financial forecast for next season but now this will need to happen much earlier in order to preserve the business,” it added.
“We understand that this will lead to significant on-field pressure but at all times we must consider the health of the club and preserve it for future generations.”
Hearts are potentially facing another winding-up order over a 110,000 ($156,000, 118,000-euro) tax bill, although most of the money has been repaid.
But on Wednesday, a court in Lithuania upheld a decision to liquidate majority shareholder Ukio Banko Investicine Group (UBIG), to which the Tynecastle club owes a reported £15m.
UBIG was controlled by the club’s owner Vladimir Romanov until he resigned from the board after the company’s assets were frozen.
Hearts narrowly avoided relegation from the SPL last season after league bosses decided that Romanov’s financial problems had not breached its rules.
UBIG’s administrator said after the court decision on Wednesday that he had “no reason or desire to harm Hearts.”
Hearts, however, said the “shortfall in funding” had raised doubts over its ability to pay players and staff, while revenues for season tickets had “dried up” and other funding was not available soon enough, prompting the drastic action to put the squad up for sale.
“The payments to HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs tax authority) and players/staff are the most important issues in our focus these days where very limited time remains available to the club,” it added.
Hearts directors blamed their precarious financial state on their worst league finish in more than 30 years (10th), the demotion of Rangers from the Scottish top flight and stadium costs.
But they added that the biggest threat now was “hesitation and inaction”.
“Provided we can achieve security for the club, it is the view of the board that there is a viable strategy for the change of ownership to a willing buyer or investor,” the directors said.
“The most difficult part in this is finding an agreement with the creditors, however we know that there is goodwill with Ukio Bankas, as demonstrated by the statement from the Ukio Bankas administrator yesterday.
“We also believe that UBIG remains supportive of Hearts.”
EPL: Chelsea agree to buy Leverkusen winger Schuerrle
LONDON: Jose Mourinho, back for a second spell as coach of Chelsea, set up his first signing when the Europa League winners agreed yesterday to buy winger Andre Schuerrle from Bayer Leverkusen.
“Chelsea Football Club and Bayer Leverkusen have reached an agreement for the transfer of Andre Schuerrle subject to the completion of legal documentation and related matters, including personal terms and passing a medical,” the Londoners said in a statement.
The transfer fee was not disclosed but media reports have put it at £18m ($28.2m).
German international Schuerrle scored 11 Bundesliga goals last season.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last three seasons, with his lightning-quick speed on the wing and excellent first touch making him a regular starter in the national team.
The signing of Schuerrle could mean that fellow German Marko Marin, a disappointment since joining Chelsea from Werder Bremen 12 months ago, Victor Moses or even Juan Mata could be heading for the Stamford Bridge exit door.
Spain midfielder Mata has become a big crowd favourite in his two years in London, scooping two successive Player of the Year awards at the club.
Media reports have suggested Mourinho may move him on although the former Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto coach told his first news conference back at Stamford Bridge that every Chelsea player would be given a chance to prove his worth.
“I need to work with the players and not commit injustice,” the 50-year-old Portuguese said on Monday.
“I need to give them a chance, be fair with them. After that we’ll have time to make decisions.”
Mata is now on Confederations Cup duty in Brazil with world and European champions Spain.
Mourinho, who was also in charge of Chelsea from 2004-07, will find out which opposition team he will start the season against when the Premier League announces the new fixture list on Wednesday. AGENCIES
