LARYEA KINGSTON wants to remain at Hearts beyond his current six-month loan period, although the Ghanaian's closest friend claims football agents are already trying to tempt him away from Tynecastle.

The midfielder has endeared himself to the Hearts support with four impressive performances since arriving on loan from the Chechen side Terek Grozny, the most recent coming in the 2-0 victory over Motherwell on Monday night when he assisted in both goals.

The adulation has overwhelmed Kingston and convinced him that remaining in Edinburgh should be his first choice when his loan deal expires in the summer.

Majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov has already secured a first-option clause that allows Hearts to sign the 26-year-old permanently from Terek if they wish.

According to Alexander Fedoseev, Kingston's Moscow-based agent, that scenario would be his preferred option. However, clubs across Europe are monitoring the situation through third parties, and many agents have already made contact with the midfielder.

"I am praying for Hearts to buy him. I hope to support Hearts and then make a deal for him because Larry is happy with the club. He wants to stay, for sure. He loves the city and the people," said Fedoseev.

"Despite the changing of the coach and everything that is going on around the club, he could be a key person in Hearts' future. If he can stay there permanently, he will be very useful."

Francis Maccarthy, Kingston's best friend and a director of his former club in Ghana, Hearts of Oak, told the Evening News: "There are agents who have been calling Larry already. If Hearts can give him what he would get [in terms of success] at other big clubs, then I would say why not stay? We are praying that something big happens. He is happy with the team. He has been calling me every day telling me about them."

Kingston agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal worth £15,000 a week with Hearts in January, which will continue from the summer provided Romanov agrees to his purchase.

Fedoseev continued: "I want Larry to be happy with his club and I want the supporters and the people in Edinburgh to be happy with him. He is reading everything written about him in the newspapers. It gives him spirit and understanding of what is going on around the club."