MELBOURNE Heart is in talks with a former Ukrainian international as coach John van 't Schip returns to his homeland to replenish his team's stocks after a host of high-profile departures.

Van 't Schip is in The Netherlands and is meeting ex-Shaktar Donetsk and CSKA Moscow midfielder Yevhen Levchenko, currently with Dutch Eredivisie club Willem II.

John Van't Schip. Credit:Vince Caligiuri

Heart officials yesterday said the 33-year-old, who has played in the Dutch top division for 14 years (mainly with Vitesse Arnhem) was one of several European-based players van 't Schip was looking at.

While he has spent the bulk of his career in The Netherlands, Levchenko did, as a youngster, play 14 games for Shakhtar and a handful for CSKA.