Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson is adamant Miguel Pallardo has no case to answer over match-fixing allegations - and insists the club knew all about the claims before they signed the midfielder.
Pallardo, who moved to Tynecastle in September, is one of 41 individuals implicated in a report in Spain that surrounds a match he played in for Levante against Real Zaragoza in May 2011.
Zaragoza won the game 2-1 to avoid relegation although prosecutors allege that £767,000 was paid in cash by the former Real coach Javier Aguirre and nine players, including current Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, to Levante players.
But Neilson insists Pallardo is innocent of any wrongdoing, and has pointed to the fact that the player's parent club Getafe could have been relegated from La Liga by a Zaragoza victory.
Neilson, whose side host Alloa on Saturday, said: "We've known about it for months and I'm surprised it has taken so long for it to come out. Miguel came in August and we knew about it then. The agent told us about it but we knew he didn't have a case to answer. We knew what the situation was, we knew what his side of the story was.
"The way it has come out in Spain, it seems that the players that were in his team don't have a case to answer, it was the other ones that were involved. I think there is 41 of them involved and at the time Miguel was on loan to the club. If you look at it and the way the result went, it affected the club he was on loan from. "I don't think there is anything there to worry about.
"He's an experienced player and it won't affect him and it won't affect how we deal with him here. It was an allegation made against the club and he was part of the club, you can't isolate one player in it. He's come here and done fantastically well for us."
The Ghanaian midfielder Prince Buaben yesterday signed a new three-deal following a fresh round of talks between the player's agent and the club. The former Dundee United player agreed to a 12-month deal in the summer and has since become an integral part of the first team.
Speaking to the club's official website, Buaben said: "I'm very pleased to get the deal done. The main thing for me was to have both Robbie [Neilson] and Craig [Levein] telling me that they wanted me to be here, and to get the security of a longer deal is great as well.
"I always wanted to stay here. The football suits me as we play a good passing game. I'm very good friends with Morgaro and we have a really good bunch of talented and professional boys here.
"The fans have been been amazing and to have their support means so much. Hopefully they can keep it up and I can score some more goals."
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