Hearts to sign US star for a few dollars less...
Perry snubs £6k per week deal for Gorgie
ROBBIE NEILSON is delighted Hearts will benefit from Perry Kitchen choosing development over dollars when they finalise the signing of the USA international.
The 24-year- old should sign a two-and-half year contract next week, delivering a significant coup for the Tynecastle club in their first season back in the Premiership.
Capped three times at senior level by Jurgen Klinsmann, Kitchen became a free agent after turning down a £6,000-per-week contract to remain in the MLS following five years with DC United.
The holding midfielder had initially been lined up for a move to Germany with Kaiserslautern, but Neilson stepped i n when that possibility floundered.
He persuaded Kitchen that a stint in Edinburgh could be the ideal stepping stone towards finally fulfilling his ambition of a move to one of Europe’s major leagues.
‘Perry is a very good player,’ said the Hearts manager. ‘He has played at a high level, international level, the MLS. Hopefully we have agreed everything, and his work permit has been sorted.
‘So he just has to go back to America to get his forms filled out and get his visa. He was at training camp with the American national team in January, so he is ready to play. He’ll come back over early next week and go into full training. So we’re delighted.
‘Perry had a deal to go to Germany but that fell through. He was also offered a huge contract to stay in the MLS. But he knocked it back because he wants to come to Europe to try and further his career over here.
‘We were in the right place at the right time. And when you get an opportunity to bring in a player like that, it’s one you need to take.
‘I was a bit surprised he turned down the MLS contract because it was very lucrative. But it just shows the hunger of the boy to come here. A lot of the MLS players want to come to Europe and prove themselves. He saw this as a pathway to do that.
‘It’s not all about money, from his point of view. Any player coming to Hearts is not going to make huge money, money that is going to sustain them for the rest of their career.
‘It is important that they see this as a stepping stone. If they come here, they will be looked after, hopefully be better coached, and then move on to somewhere else where they can earn bigger money.
‘All players want to do that. I don’t think anyone says they want to spend the rest of their career in Scotland. Even Scottish players.
‘I think it is important we are all honest about that. Every player wants to progress. If you ask our academy players, they all want to play in England. But they know the pathway to do that is to go through here and then make that step.’
Hearts can already point to the example of Osman Sow, who recently banked a huge pay day when completing a £1.5million move to Chinese club Henan Jianye.
‘It helps with getting players in and getting agents to put players to us,’ admitted Neilson. ‘We’ve done it with Sow and we hope to do it with other players, as well, and the pathway they can take.
‘We have a couple of agents we use who know the type of player we are looking for. We managed to find one in Perry and we managed to move things on from there.
‘For a guy to have the option to go to different countries and pick here shows the league is doing well.
‘We are in a position where we can offer good facilities, a good stadium and a good city. And also a good opportunity to progress.’
Neilson also hopes Kitchen could boost Hearts’ profile in America and open up a stronger link with a rapidly-developing market.
‘If Perry comes in and does well, hopefully other players will see that and see it as a pathway for them to come through,’ he added.
‘Rangers did it with (Claudio) Reyna, (Alejandro) Bedoya and (Carlos) Bocanegra.
‘So, if guys over there see it, then there might be a chance to bring them in. But, for the moment, we’re just pleased to get Perry in.’
Hearts host Partick Thistle this afternoon, seeking to move within six points of second-placed Aberdeen once again. While Neilson believes the Pittodrie outfit are credible challengers to Celtic’s supremacy, he has ruled out his side entering that particular equation.
‘It’s a chance to close the gap on Aberdeen but it is still going to be tough,’ said Neilson, who confirmed Callum Paterson will be sidelined for four weeks with a shoulder injury. ‘They are doing fantastically at the moment, had a great result on Wednesday night ( against Dundee United) and are now bearing down on Celtic. We’ll try and stay as close as we can.
‘We have a huge gap to Celtic, and I think our focus has to be on Aberdeen. If we win tomorrow it would be 10 points with 10 games to go. Realistically, that is too big a gap.
‘But I think Aberdeen definitely have a chance. A four-point gap can definitely be closed.’