Hearts star Rudi Skacel refutes agent’s cash claim

German-based agent Jochen Kientz says Skacel owes him a five-figure sum for securing the Czech internationalist’s return to Tynecastle in 2010.

Kientz, 39, is suing Skacel for around £58,000, which he says he’s owed for negotiating the switch from Greek club Larissa.

But the 32-year-old player insists he arranged his £159,000-a-year Hearts contract personally and owes nothing to Kientz.

Skacel’s legal team asked Sheriff Frank Crowe to throw the case out at a hearing on Tuesday.

In legal papers lodged at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Skacel’s lawyers argued that the court doesn’t have the power to handle the case. They believe that the case should be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

The court papers say Kientz and Skacel agreed a deal in January 2010 which handed the agent ten per cent of the player’s earnings.

However, since Mr Kientz was trading in Germany, he was also entitled to claim a further 19 per cent in VAT payments.

The papers state that in the months following the deal, Skacel became aware of a suggestion that Hearts wanted to sign him again.

The papers state: “LFC [Larissa] were acting in a manner towards the defender [Skacel] which he felt was intended to pressure him into leaving.

“The defender contacted the pursuer [Kientz] on several occasions to ask him to contact Heart of Midlothian Football Club of his own accord.”

Skacel claims the agent told him Hearts weren’t interested and that when he did return to Gorgie he “did so without the assistance of the pursuer”.

Sheriff Crowe adjourned the case until next month.

Last year, Skacel settled out of court with his ex-girlfriend, model Savannah Fairnie, who he accused of spending £43,000 of his cash without permission after they split.

Fans’ favourite Skacel left Hearts after winning the Scottish Cup in 2006 to sign for Southampton.

He then had spells in Germany, his home country and Greece before returning to Scotland in 2010.