HEARTS have until June 6 to finalise the permanent transfer of Larry Kingston from Terek Grozny or risk losing him to another club.

The Evening News has learned that Hearts' first-option clause on the Ghanaian must be activated within the next 13 days, as stipulated in the loan agreement brokered with Terek in January.

English clubs are monitoring the situation but Vladimir Romanov has first refusal on Kingston for a previously agreed fee in the region of £500,000.

But he must complete the deal by June 6 or the player will become available to the highest bidder.

Kingston has been alerted to the interest from England but has already publicly declared his desire to remain at Tynecastle.

He is currently on a two-week break in Ghana whilst awaiting clarification on his future. The 26-year-old signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Hearts worth £15,000 a week upon his arrival from Terek in January, which will continue from the summer if his move is made permanent.

Kingston's agent, Alexander Fedoseev, said today: "I think we need one week for a final answer. We are negotiating with Hearts but the contract states they have the first option. We are awaiting a reply from them. Larry is enjoying his vacation but before June 6 we will know everything.

"One agent from England called me and said that a team there wanted to sign Larry, but I said that until Hearts refuse him we can do nothing. I can't discuss any other options with teams until Hearts say no.

"I want Larry to stay in Edinburgh."

Kingston, 26, saw a potential move to Bolton Wanderers fall through in January before Romanov took him to Hearts on a six-month loan from Terek. Sam Allardyce has since left the Reebok Stadium to manage Newcastle United, but he still rates the player highly and may try to tempt him to St James Park.

Sammy Lee, Allardyce's replacement at Bolton, is also understood to retain an interest in Kingston.