Hearts complete signing of Esmael Goncalves

Former St Mirren striker Esmael Goncalves has become Hearts' third signing of the day after joining from Anorthosis Famagusta on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

Esmael Goncalves. Picture: Hearts FC

The Tynecastle side paid a transfer fee of around 200,000 euros to land the 25-year-old Portuguese forward from the Cypriot club.

Goncalves, who scored for Saints against Hearts in the 2013 League Cup final, has worked with Hearts management team of Ian Cathro and Austin MacPhee previously at Rio Ave and St Mirren respectively.

“Of course, working with Ian again was part of the appeal of coming to Hearts,” said Goncalves. “He’s a very intelligent guy. I worked with him in Portugal. He was the second coach. He was very intelligent already at this time and he made a lot of tactics in training and you could see he was going far.

“I know Ian, I know Austin too and it’s a good reason to come. They like me and I like them also, so it makes the job easier.”

Goncalves has spent the last two years with Famagusta and scored 22 goals for the Cypriot club, including ten in the past three months, so the Portuguese forward, who signed off from his old side with a double at the weekend, is in fine form ahead of a possible debut in tomorrow night’s Tynecastle showdown with Rangers.