Who is Jordi Altena? Hearts transfer target verdict as 'tremendous' progress may create exciting Jambos combo

Hearts are closing in on a new right-back in RKC Waalwijk’s Jordi Altena - but what can fans expect if said deal goes through?

The Edinburgh Evening News has learned a transfer is nearly done for the Dutchman with a deal in excess £500k. Talks over a switch to Scotland are at an advanced stage and management at Tynecastle are preparing to add Altena to Derek McInnes’ squad after moving for him was approved by the club’s recruitment partner, Jamestown Analytics.

So what will he brings to Gorgie? Here’s all you need to know about the possible Hearts recruit.

Who is Jordi Altena?

Jordi Altena is a 22-year-old right-back from Holland. He started his career as a midfielder in the youth academy of Eredivisie side Vitesse and spent last season with Dutch amateur side De Treffers, who play in the country’s third tier. A clause in his contract allowed him to get back into professional football with RKC last summer. He signed a one-year contract with the Eerste Divisie side, the second tier of Dutch football, and that was quickly extended. He has four goals and eight assists in all competitions this season having converted to a right-back role.

What do the stats tell us about Jordi Altena?

The under the hood states make for impressive reading. In the Dutch second tier compared with players in defensive positions, Altena is second in offensive duels with 11.31 per 90 and a 50% success rate is the highest of anyone in the top five. Compared with the top man in Scotland, St Mirren wing-back Conor McMenamin on 8.5 and 39% success rate, Altena is way ahead and Oisin McEntee has 3.01 with 45% success rate for a comparison closer to home.

He’s a top five dribbler and deep completion hitter and has the most shots of anyone in the league with 1.94, second sitting on 1.49, which could see Hearts hammering teams from both flanks as Jambos left-back Harry Milne has the most shots of any defensive Premiership player per 90 . An xA of 3.32 for assists while sitting seventh in the league, and that number higher than some of those in the top 10, suggests goal-hungry strikers would work well with Altena.

It’s not all-out attack either as he’s in the top 15 for defensive duels and 16th in recoveries, but it’s certainly the attacking metrics which make for the most eye-catching reading.

What have RKC Waalwijk said about Altena?

RKC Technical Director Bernard Schuiteman had high hopes upon signing Altena. He said: "Jordi is a player with passion, ambition, and enormous drive. He has proven himself at the highest amateur level with goals and assists. We are convinced he's a good fit for our style of play and the direction we want the club to take."

After his strong start to the season, these sentiments were emboldened. He added upon extending the Hearts target’s contract until 2028: "After joining us from De Treffers last summer, he quickly became a regular starter. He's already made tremendous progress in recent months, but we're convinced he still has a lot of potential. We're going to work hard on that together in the coming period."

Verdict

In Altena, it would appear that Hearts will be getting an attack-minded full-back with the numbers to back it up. He is a top performer across several attacking metrics in the Dutch second tier and is exactly the kind of players Jamestown has been great at identifying. In right-back regulars Oisin McEntee and Michael Steinwender, you probably have two players who are more up to speed with what will be required in a defensive sense at Premiership level right now. Developing Altena’s game in that sense alongside continued attacking progress could see Hearts have yet another goal threat and bulky depth in this role, with Christian Borchgrevink on the books and Adam Forrester developing on loan at St Johnstone.