Mihai Popescu's Hearts career almost certainly over as defender joins Hamilton Accies

Hearts defender Mihai Popescu has joined Hamilton Accies.

Mihai Popescu was told this summer he was surplus to requirements at Tynecastle. Picture: SNS

The centre-back moves on loan to the South Lanarkshire side until the end of the campaign, but with the Romanian’s contract at Tynecastle expiring next summer it almost certainly ends his career in Edinburgh.

Popescu was heralded as a strong signing by Robbie Neilson’s men when he was snapped up last summer as he had previously starred in the Scottish Premiership with St Mirren.

But despite playing 24 times during the Championship-winning campaign, his patchy performances persuaded Hearts into telling the player he was free to find a new club this summer. The situation has been exacerbated from the 28-year-old’s perspective following the arrival of Taylor Moore from Bristol City.

New Accies boss Stuart Taylor was delighted the acquisition of the former Dinamo București star.

He told the club’s website: “Mihai is another example of the pedigree of player we want to sign at this football club.

“He has valuable experience in a Championship-winning side, and will provide great insight to the younger players in our dressing room.”

The player added: “I am delighted to be at an ambitious club like Hamilton. I know the club from my time in Scotland, and was really impressed when I spoke to the head coach.

“I am looking forward to playing first-team football again.”

Ironically, Popescu’s new club will take on the Hearts B team tonight in the SPFL Trust Trophy, but he won’t be eligible to play having been named as an overage player in the previous round.

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