Makela vows to fight for place at Hearts after Basle's renewed interest

The Hearts striker Juho Makela is flattered by interest in his services but is intent on carving out a successful career at Tynecastle.

The 23-year-old forward joined the club from HJK Helsinki in January, but has struggled to make a first-team impact under the head coach, Valdas Ivanauskas. With Hearts boasting seven first-team strikers - Roman Bednar, Edgaras Jankauskas, Michal Pospisil, Mauricio Pinilla, Jamie Mole, Andrius Velicka and Makela - the Finn has enjoyed limited action.

Makela has made eight appearances this season, with just two starts, but has hit four goals. He scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 CIS Insurance Cup win at Alloa last month and then scored in the 4-0 Scottish Premier League home win over Dundee United on 1 October.

His strike rate has intensified the interest of the Swiss side Basle, managed by the former Tottenham manager Christian Gross, who almost signed Makela from under the nose of the Edinburgh club at the start of the year.

Yet Makela wants to stay at Hearts. "It is good to hear people are interested in me, they believe in me," he said. "But I am focusing on Hearts to do my best on the field. I am fighting for my place because this is where I want to play. I had a chance to go to Switzerland but I decided to come here and have not regretted it.

"Other clubs were interested in the summer. It was very close, but Hearts wanted me to stay and convinced me to remain here."