Raith Rovers boss Gary Locke has made a bold move to sign Rudi Skacel.
The 36-year-old attacking midfielder is a free agent following a spell with Mlada Boleslav in his native Czech Republic and flew into Scotland today to link up with the Fife club.
Skacel worked under Locke when the manager was part of the Hearts coaching team during both Jim Jefferies’ and Paul Sergio’s reign.
Now, the player is set to train with Rovers next week before both parties decide whether to make the move a permanent one.
In a statement, Raith said: “Manager Gary Locke has been working extremely hard behind the scenes to bring the iconic former Hearts star Rudi Skacel to Stark’s Park.
“Rudi will link up with the rest of the squad for the trip to Forfar (for the Betfred Cup tie against Cove Rangers) this evening.
“The former Czech Republic international will join training next week at the Michael Woods Centre in Glenrothes, and while he gets his match fitness up, efforts will continue to secure his services for the coming season.”
Locke added: “Rudi is a fantastic professional. He is very fit naturally, and once he gains his sharpness, I hope we can persuade him to sign for the club because he will be a first-class role model for the whole squad, that’s for sure.
“I am delighted he has agreed to link up with us, and I am certain his presence will create a real buzz as the season gets underway.
“He knows how to score goals, and to create chances for others so he could be a key player for us in the months ahead.”
Meanwhile, Raith have confirmed they have signed 20-year-old Irish midfielder Joel Coustrain and 18-year-old forward, Yaw Osei on one-year deals.
