Done deals: Portugese pair have already signed for Hearts, claims agent

Published on Monday 27 July 2009 11:55

PORTUGUESE trialists Joao Moreira and Zezinando have signed three-year contracts to join Hearts and undergone medical examinations in Lithuania according to their agent, Paulo Barbosa.

Senior Hearts officials stressed today that both players remain on trial after arriving at the team hotel in Southampton over the weekend. The club said manager Csaba Laszlo will assess them in training and they are expected to feature in Wednesday night's friendly against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park.

However, Barbosa has insisted documents were penned by both his clients following medicals conducted in eastern Europe. It is unclear whether these papers have yet been registered with the relevant football authorities.

Moreira, full name Joo Vtor Rocha de Carvalho Moreira, is a 23-year-old striker who recently left SC Beira Mar. He harbours experience of Spanish football having been on the books of Valencia and spent time on loan with Rayo Vallecano.

He joined the Hearts squad on England's south coast late on Saturday evening along with Zezinando, full name Zezinando Odelfrides Gomes Correia, a 22-year-old defensive midfielder whose contract recently expired at Sporting Lisbon.

Hearts have also secured the Slovakian goalkeeper Marian Kello on a one-year contract, but supporters will be most excited by the prospect of signing two new players who have both represented Portugal at youth international level.

"They are not on trial, they have signed three-year contracts with Hearts," Barbosa told the Evening News. "They signed the contracts in Kaunas and they have already done the medical examinations. These are players from the Portuguese national teams. Zezinando played in the last World Under-20 Championship and Joao Moreira has played in the European Under-21 Championship. I believe they can play for the full Portuguese national team in the future.

"Joao Moreira played many years in the Valencia football school. His contract is finished and he is now a free agent. He is a player who can play all positions in attack. I think in the future he will be a good goalscorer.

"Zezinando is from the Sporting football school and has played with Portugal Under-20s. He is also a free agent. He is a typical number six."

Laszlo said the recruitment of Kello maintains strong competition in the goalkeeping department, where the Slovakian will challenge Janos Balogh and Jamie MacDonald for a regular starting berth.

"I am happy at the moment to know that Marian's contract is resolved and that he now has the possiblity to concentrate on his job," said the manager. "We have the same situation like last year, with three goalkeepers who we think will give good competition. We now have four very good goalkeepers, one young one in Mark Ridgers who will stay behind everyone but slowly he will have a big future. We have three experienced players too."