Hearts have renewed their interest in Forest Green captain Laurent Mendy following the departure of Australian midfielder Cammy Devlin to Rangers.
Devlin turned down a new contract offer at Tynecastle in order to reunite with manager Derek McInnes at Ibrox, leaving Hearts short in midfield.
The Edinburgh club first pursued Mendy back in January, when they needed cover after Devlin suffered an injury during the season.
Forest Green rejected that initial bid, with the club deeming the offer significantly below their valuation of the 29-year-old captain.
Hearts are now pressing ahead with a renewed approach, hoping to finally secure the midfielder they have been tracking for several months.
However, Forest Green boss Robbie Savage has made the club’s position unambiguously clear, insisting Mendy is not for sale under any circumstances.
Savage confirmed there has been contact from Hearts but stressed that no official offer from any club has formally landed on the table.
He said: “We had a bid last January for Laurent, a bid which we thought was miles under our valuation. There is no bid at all in for Laurent Mendy.”
Savage reinforced the club’s determination to hold onto their best player during a crucial period in Forest Green’s push for National League promotion.
He said: “I think our stance is pretty clear – not for sale. If I look at the teams that are expected to be in the playoffs and going for promotion, I don’t see any of them seeing their best player at this stage of this season.”
The Forest Green manager acknowledged the ambitions of players who wish to compete at higher levels while remaining firm on the club’s position.
He said: “Unfortunately, in football you don’t get what you want. I am not saying Laurent wants to go, I am just saying no bid has been received.”
Savage was emphatic in his closing message, warning Hearts and any other interested parties that incoming bids will be firmly rejected by the club.
He said: “Our stance is pretty clear. No bid has been received, and we need to keep our best players at this football club to gain promotion. No bids are in, if any bids come in they will be turned down.”
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