HEARTS' promising defender, Lee Wallace, has been attracting the interest of Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane, who remains determined to bolster his defence.

Carl Marston

HEARTS' promising defender, Lee Wallace, has been attracting the interest of Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane, who remains determined to bolster his defence.

But the Edinburgh club would be reluctant to let their promising 22-year-old international leave Tynecastle.

Town are reported to be targeting the Hearts defensive duo of Wallace and Jose Goncalves, with a figure of �2m mentioned in relation to left-back Wallace. He is contracted to the Scottish Premier League club until 2012.

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo said: “I know how football works and if someone is doing well then it is okay for clubs to be looking at them.”

The transfer window for permanent deals reopens in January.