Jim Jefferies expects 'special talent' Mehdi Taouil to excite the Hearts support

HEARTS took their tally of close-season signings to four last night when they agreed a three-year deal with midfielder Mehdi Taouil. The Moroccan international was a free agent following the completion of his contract with Kilmarnock, and joins John Sutton, Danny Grainger and Jamie Hamill as additions to Jim Jefferies' squad.

It was Jefferies who brought Taouil to Scottish football when he signed him for Kilmarnock four years ago, and the Hearts boss had been targeting the player for some time. Jefferies believes the 28-year-old will bring "something different" to his squad, and hopes to help him rediscover the excellent form he enjoyed during some of his time at Rugby Park.

"Hearts supporters like to see special talent and he has that in his locker," the Tynecastle manager said on the club's official website. "It is a step up to a big club for him, but if we can get him playing at his best he is someone the fans will appreciate. He is something a little different to what we have, and I am confident he will be a good addition to the squad."

Although Taouil had the chance to return to the Continent, Hearts were always favourites to sign him, and Jefferies added that he was pleased to complete another piece of business successfully. "He had a few options to join other clubs, but I'm delighted to have got him.

"He is strong, a good passer of the ball, and can hold it up well for others. He can also bring us something going forward from midfield."

Born in France, Taouil began his career with Nancy. He moved to Nuremberg in 2004, the year he was first capped by Morocco, the country of his father's birth. Of the five caps he has won so far, three were at that year's Olympic Games in Athens, when Morocco failed to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.

He returned to France in 2005 for a two-year stint with Montpellier, then moved to Kilmarnock on a one-year contract. Hearts were linked with him at the end of that deal in 2008, but Jefferies persuaded him to agree a new three-year contract.

In common with the club's other new signings, Taouil will have to fight for his place, although the battle could be made easier if the club do not take up the option of a one-year extension to the contract they agreed with Rudi Skacel last year.

Even so, as a wide midfielder he will face competition from wingers such as David Templeton, Andrew Driver, Suso Santana and Arvydas Novikovas, while he can also play in a central attacking role in support of a main striker such as Kevin Kyle or Sutton. The signing of Taouil means that Jefferies has now brought internal competition to four distinct areas of the team.Sutton will compete for a place up front, Grainger will either deputise for Lee Wallace or take over at left-back if the Scotland internationalist is sold, and Hamill, although he can also play in midfield, will be at right-back.

Meanwhile, across Edinburgh, Hibernian are close to completing the signing of central defender Sean O'Hanlon. The 28-year-old from Liverpool has been with MK Dons since 2006, but has been told he will not be offered a new contract when his current deal expires at the end of this month.

A former England under-20 international, O'Hanlon will be an experienced addition to a back four which struggled for consistency last season. He is expected to partner Paul Hanlon, who was one of Hibs' most consistent players during a disappointing campaign which saw the club finish tenth in the SPL.

Ivan Sproule is so far the only signing of the close-season by Hibs. He will officially begin his second stint at Easter Road when his contract with Bristol City runs out, also at the end of the month.