Former Hearts striker moves up a level after signing for new club on free transfer

The Dunkirk-based club have snapped up the towering 31-year-old after his contract at Le Mans expired this summer. He has signed a one-year deal for the team who won promotion from the Championnat National last term.

The former Blackpool and Chesterfield forward spent 18 months at Le Mans after leaving Tynecastle in the 2022 January transfer window. He was second top scorer in the third-tier but couldn’t stop his club from having a dismal campaign as they avoided relegation by just two points. Gnanduillet’s 14 goals was a big reason for their survival and he’s been rewarded with a move to Ligue 2 for the first time in his career.

Gnanduillet was a January signing for Hearts during the Championship-winning campaign of 2020-21. He netted five goals in 13 games but couldn’t replicate that form in the top flight, scoring only once before being moved on.