Hearts have been handed a major boost as it emerged Lee Wallace may not require surgery and could return from his knee injury in three months.

Wallace suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament in Scotland’s 2-1 defeat of Liechtenstein on Tuesday night.

Jim Jefferies had resigned himself to being without the left-back for a minimum of six months but the Hearts manager has

now received promising news from Wallace’s consultant.

“The medical people have told us that they don’t think an operation is required,” Jefferies told Hearts News.

“Normally when you tear a cruciate ligament there is other damage and a lot of other issues but this doesn’t appear to be the case with Lee.

“They are talking about him being in a splint for four weeks and then taking the rehab from there and he could be back in 12 weeks.”

Jefferies was thrilled with the news, although confirmation will not be received until next week.

The manager added: “This is massive news for us, although we won’t have it confirmed for sure until Lee sees the specialist next week.

“Fingers crossed their initial thoughts are correct. This is more encouraging for us and a big boost for the lad, as being out for 10 to 12 weeks is better than the 24 which we all thought.”

The first fixture Wallace will miss as a result of the injury he suffered at Hampden Park is Saturday’s clash with Celtic, meaning Jefferies will be without two members of his first-choice defence.

Marius Zaliukas is also out with a knee problem, while he remains the subject of contract discussions with majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov with his loan from FBK Kaunas due to expire in December.

There is the added factor that Wallace was named skipper in club captain Zaliukas’s absence, meaning Jefferies is set to hand the armband to Eggert Jonsson at Parkhead on Saturday.

Wallace’s place at left-back could go to midfielder Ruben Palazuelos, who is prepared to play wherever he is asked.

“I prefer to play in midfield, but I have played left-back,” he said.

“Last year, when I played there, I played okay. But it’s a decision for the manager. I will play there – it’s better than nothing.”

While the future for Wallace now appears to be brighter, there remains ongoing uncertainty over Zaliukas.

The Lithuania international last week denied claims he had asked for £20,000 a week to sign a new deal and insisted he hoped the situation would soon be resolved.

Jefferies today called for Zaliukas to do his utmost to extend his stay in Edinburgh.

The Hearts boss said: “A bit of it is in Marius’s own hands as well – he’s got to want to stay here and he’s got to want to agree terms.”

Zaliukas held discussions with Romanov in Lithuania during the international break, but a resolution is no nearer.

The 26-year-old defender was at Hearts’ Edinburgh training ground today, but is unavailable as Jefferies’ side take their unbeaten record to Celtic on Saturday.

“He’s back over today to get treatment,” said Jefferies.

“I don’t think the situation’s changed. He’s locked in talks with them – he’s a Kaunas player and until that’s resolved we’ll have to wait and see. I’ve just got to get on with things here.”

Rangers manager Walter Smith has revealed loan signing Richard Foster could make his debut against Hamilton on Saturday.

Kirk Broadfoot and Steven Whittaker were both ruled out of Scotland’s midweek win over Liechtenstein after picking up injuries while on international duty.

Smith will find himself short of personnel for the right-back slot if they both fail to recover in time for the lunchtime clash at New Douglas Park.

That means Foster – who joined on loan from SPL rivals Aberdeen on transfer deadline day – could be thrown into the action quicker than expected.

Smith told www.rangers.co.uk: “Richard is a player who can offer us versatility.

“I felt we had enough cover up front so that allowed us to let Andrius Velicka go up to Aberdeen and get playing again which is the most important thing for him.

“Richard can cover for a good few positions which is ideal for everyone and we would hope that he can do a good job for us.

“He might be involved this weekend because we have knocks to Steven Whittaker and Kirk Broadfoot who both had to withdraw from the Scotland squad.

“So we will need to see how they are at the end of the week before we make any decisions but if neither of these players make it then there is an opportunity for Richard to get a start right away.”

Rangers boast a 100% record in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League so far but Smith admits his players are not yet at their best.

He said: “We have made a decent start to the SPL in the sense that we had recorded three wins and we are happy with that.

“However, I don’t think we are quite into our stride. We have made slow starts in two of the matches and that’s something I hope we can rectify.

“We are now entering an extremely busy stage of the season so we must make sure we hit the ground running, starting with Saturday’s game at Hamilton.

“Accies are a team that seem to make a few changes in the close season so it takes them a little bit of time to get started.

“We have found them difficult opponents in the last couple of seasons. We have had to work extremely hard to get wins against them.

“However, we want to maintain our winning start to the season and that’s the most important thing.”

The Rangers boss has urged his side to forget about Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Manchester United until the job is done against Accies.

He added: “We all know that the Manchester United game is on the horizon but we can’t look at that yet. We must be totally focused on the Hamilton game.

“There is no doubt that we are all looking forward to it and after a disappointing campaign last season the boys are keen to do much better.

“They have all had good experience in Europe in recent seasons and they want to do well.

“It’s going to be a difficult start for us playing at Old Trafford but it’s one we all look forward to.

“That said, it will be after Hamilton that we start to look at that one.”

The Lithuanian connection could soon be extended to Hibs with John Hughes poised to make a decision on whether to sign trialist Valdas Trakys.

The 31-year-old Lithuania international striker, who is a free agent after leaving Greek club Panserraikos, has heard complimentary noises about Edinburgh and Hibs from his numerous compatriots at Hearts and impressed Hughes in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Dundee United on Tuesday.

A deal will not be completed in time for Saturday’s clash with Inverness at Easter Road, but could be close.

“It’s one that’s certainly interesting us,” Hughes said today.

“The big fellow’s done well.

“We’ll see. He’s still got another training session (tomorrow).

“He speaks good English and a lot of the Lithuanians at Hearts have said good things about Hibs and the city.

“He’s come over here and his application and attitude have been spot on.”

Hughes signed six players in the summer transfer window, but only Darryl Duffy, who was brought in on loan from Bristol Rovers, is a striker.

There is also the void of Anthony Stokes to fill following his transfer deadline day move to Celtic.

“We’ve been looking about,” added Hughes.

“We were active in the window and got good players in, but I still think we’re a wee bit short up there.

“He (Trakys) plays like a centre forward, he knows how to use his body, holds it up well and he’s prepared to be his foot in and work away.

“It’s one that is starting to tick all the boxes.

“If we’re going to do any kind of deal, it wouldn’t be long term, it would probably be for a year.”

Former FC Twente striker Romano Denneboom has also been linked with a switch to Easter Road after a trial spell.

Denneboom is keen to secure a deal for more than 12 months, but Hughes has told him to earn a longer deal.

“It’s still on the go,” said Hughes.

“He’s looking for a longer-term contract – he’s a good lad, good player, but his fitness wasn’t up to it.

“I wouldn’t want to make that commitment.

“What I want to say is come here and prove yourself and if you prove yourself then we can sit down and maybe do it longer term.

“That’s where the stumbling block is at the moment.”

Hughes admitted Hibs would only be able to sign either Trakys or Denneboom.

He said: “If we’re going to do something it will be one or the other, I don’t think we’ve got the budget or the finances to do the two of them.”

Although Hughes will not be bringing in both of the trialists interesting him, Hibs are in a healthy financial position.

Today Hibs announced financial results for the year ending July 31, 2010 which showed a bottom line profit for the sixth consecutive year.

A net profit of £100,000 came in a year which saw staff costs increase to £4.8million – a ratio of 68% to turnover – with turnover decreased by 8% to £7.1million.

Chairman Rod Petrie said: “To have achieved a profit for six consecutive years is a truly outstanding achievement within football, let alone football within Scotland.

“Being in ‘profit’ means that the club is self sufficient and in control of its own destiny – it also means any surplus income is retained within the club and re-invested for the future.

“The club’s financial position is the envy of many other clubs.”

Kilmarnock skipper Craig Bryson wants to draw a line under Hearts’ failure to buy him and concentrate on his Rugby Park future.

Bryson, 23, spent the summer being linked with a move to join his former Killie boss Jim Jefferies at Tynecastle.

The Ayrshire club, believed to be looking for around £500,000 for the former Scotland Under-21 player, knocked back several bids from the Gorgie club including two on deadline day and thus the expected transfer failed to materialise.

Ahead of the home Clydesdale Bank Premier League game against St Mirren on Saturday, Bryson said that it is time to move on.

“It’s always nice when teams want you but now I can just concentrate on playing for Kilmarnock and that’s what I want to do.” he said.

“It was fine for me. Some people were asking me what was happening but I didn’t know so that was it.

“But I would rather move it to one side for now and concentrate on playing for Killie.

“We play St Mirren on Saturday and hopefully we can get a positive result.

“I want to do as well as I can for Killie and help the team get some good results.”

A 1-0 win at Aberdeen in their last outing gave Mixu Paatelainen his first three points as Killie boss.

However, Bryson has seen enough from the Finn’s new-look Rugby Park side to set his sights higher than simply avoiding relegation this season.

“At the start of the season I think we just wanted to stay up but we have been playing well and we got a good result at Aberdeen,” the former Clyde midfielder said.

“It was massive to get our first three points after we had been beaten in our first two games when we should probably have taken something out of them.

“Now we want to push on as much as we can.

“The gaffer has brought a new freshness in to the way we play the game and has has brought new ideas.

“We sometimes do two training sessions per day.

“Sometimes it’s two football sessions, sometimes it’s football and then conditioning circuits.

“He also uses a lot of sports science.

“It took us a little time to get used to it but it’s beginning to work.

“All the new boys who have come in have done well and they are all the same as me, they want to push on.

“To get the first three points is always a relief and we want to build on that and get a positive result against St Mirren.

“I think they beat us four times last season in league and cup games so know it will be a really difficult game.”

Hibernian have announced financial results for the year ending July 31, 2010 which showed a bottom line profit for the sixth consecutive year.

A net profit of £100,000 came in a year which saw staff costs increase to £4.8million – a ratio of 68 per cent to turnover – with turnover decreased by eight per cent to £7.1million.

Chairman Rod Petrie said: “To have achieved a profit for six consecutive years is a truly outstanding achievement within football, let alone football within Scotland.

“Being in ‘profit’ means that the club is self sufficient and in control of its own destiny – it also means any surplus income is retained within the club and re-invested for the future.

“The club’s financial position is the envy of many other clubs.”

Petrie, though, recognised that the year had been a challenging one.

He said: “A combination of the difficult economic conditions for supporters and commercial partners, the reduction in season ticket prices, and the closure of the old East Terrace in February resulted in turnover dropping eight per cent year-on-year.

“Additionally, at a time when many football clubs were reducing playing budgets, the board sought to support our new manager John Hughes and sanctioned a further increase in staff costs from £4.7million to £4.8million in the year.

“This increase, together with the significant reduction in turnover, led to a rise in the wages to turnover ratio to 68 per cent.

“There is work to be done to bring this important ratio back below 60 per cent.”