Exclusive:Inside Ageu's Hearts transfer: teammate's key phonecall, what he'll bring and 45-minute Zoom meeting
In his first newspaper interview, Hearts’ record signing explains move
A warm handshake and a glowing smile greet the Evening News from Hearts’ record signing Ageu as we meet in the aftermath of a 2-1 win over Livingston.
The amiable 23-year-old midfielder from Brazil made his debut for Hearts as a 66th-minute substitute, just 24 hours on from his transfer from Portuguese side Santa Clara for a seven-figure fee. It was clear he enjoyed it.
Ageu was not on the pitch for long, but he showed exactly why Hearts have forked out for his services. He added drive to the team, was eager to take the ball in tricky positions and drove forward when possible. He had two shots on goal and was part of a second-half revival to keep the team’s strong start to the season going.
Ageu’s arrival has heightened the excitement at Hearts right now. He was identified by Jamestown Analytics and when head coach Derek McInnes watched him, the eye test matched up with the data. A lot of work went into signing the former Cruzeiro player and there is a strong belief he will be a success at Tynecastle.
It is a sentiment shared by Ageu, who is already bowled over by what he’s experienced in his first few days in Edinburgh. Hearts were backed by more than 6000 supporters at Livingston - “crazy,” remarked the midfielder.
In an exclusive interview, Ageu continued: “I am very happy with this opportunity, and I am very happy with this game - it's amazing. This was incredible. I saw the fans, the passion, the love for this club. I really feel this. It's not the same [as in Portugal] because the fans are low, so this is a lot.”
Why Ageu’s Hearts decision was ‘easy’
Ageu learned of Hearts’ interest at the beginning of August and he says the decision to move to Scotland was “easy” after doing his homework on the club.
“It was three weeks ago,” Ageu said of the first contact. “I hadn't heard of Hearts before, so when I received the offer, I searched. I studied the club, the fans. It's amazing. My decision was easy. When I received this opportunity, this offer, I was very happy.”
He also took a call from a fellow Portuguese speaker to help seal the deal. Claudio Braga made the move from Aalesunds to Hearts earlier in the summer and is an instant fan favourite. He told Ageu that he was making the right decision. “Two weeks ago, I spoke with him,” said Ageu. “He helps me so much, so I'm very happy that I have him here.”
Not many Brazilians rock up in Scottish football. Hearts have only had two others in their history - Samuel Cammazzola and Igor Rossi. “No, no, because I love the challenges,” replied Ageu when asked if he was making a brave decision by moving here. “For me, this [an interview] is more of a challenge. English is difficult for me, but I will go to learn more.
“It's very, very, very physical [Scottish football]. I love this game too, so I think it's possible to play the ball in the spaces. Here, there is a lot for me to learn.”
What can Hearts fans expect from Ageu in the future? He was involved in 11 goals for Alverca during a loan spell as they won promotion to the Portuguese top flight. “I like attacking, I like defence, I like the construction [of chances],” he said. “I like staying in all parts of the pitch. I will try to repeat here [the goals]. This is my mentality.”
Ageu’s chat with Hearts teammates
Before the Livingston match, Ageu was spotted in conversation with new teammates Cammy Devlin and Stuart Findlay. They pointed around three of the four stands at Almondvale to explain that they would be populated by Hearts fans. They erupted when Alexandros Kyziridis scored the winner in stoppage time.
“This passion is amazing,” said Ageu. “When I saw the eyes of the fans, I felt this. This is incredible, amazing. It was a great way to finish the match with such an important goal as well.”
His head coach McInnes is delighted to have him here. He revealed to the Evening News that a 45-minute Zoom call merely confirmed that Hearts could sign someone who can make a real difference to their campaign.
“The club identified through the analytics this type of player,” explained McInnes. “We're looking for a midfielder who can drive the ball. In this half an hour he played tucked in off the left. He played centre midfield. He had two shots. And he had a run over the top. He sees a space. He'll either fill it with a run or he'll drive into it with a ball.
“And I just think he offers something a wee bit different to what we've got here. He can be really pleased with his introduction, as you say, considering he only met the players for the first time on Friday.
“When I first spoke with him on Zoom, there was life in his eyes. There was excitement. There was good English. There was loads of the right questions. And we had a 45-minute conversation that went so quickly.
“And right away, you felt as a boy, he had a warm feeling about everything and an eagerness to come to Hearts. Because you can want the player, the club can meet the transfer demand of the selling club, but unless you've got a player who really wants to come, everything becomes so much more difficult.
“So we felt after that initial conversation and follow-up conversations that he really wanted to be here, which is important. And now that we've got him, we're going to enjoy him. We're going to make the most of him. And he's a player that we think can give us a lot in terms of winning performances, hopefully.”