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Hearts head coach Ian Cathro has made his seventh summer signing after midfielder Connor Randall yesterday agreed a season-long loan move from Liverpool.
The 21-year-old has arrived at Tynecastle with competitive first team experience at the Reds under his belt, having made seven appearances for the Anfield club.
Although Randall has been deployed at full-back by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Cathro regards the player principally as a midfielder.
Speaking ahead of today’s Betfred Cup visit of Dunfermline, Cathro, who has already recruited Christophe Berra, Kyle Lafferty, Michael Smith, Ashley Smith-Brown, Cole Stockton and Rafal Grzelak this summer, said: “He’s a young, hungry, talented player with really good qualities that I like.
“He’s someone that I’ve been aware of for a period of time, even before coming here.
“He has experience playing in different positions. He’s grown up as a midfield player.
“More recently, he’s had game time for Liverpool – primarily going by what the first team are looking for – as a right back and also at left back.
“The qualities that are most important in his game, for me, are that of a midfielder.
“Another plus with Connor is the intensity in his game and his focus that allows that to be a versatile thing in that, no matter where you are on the pitch, they serve you well.
“It does give us some options in different places, but for me he’s a midfielder.”
Hearts midfielder Arnaud Djoum, meanwhile admits going up against some of the best players on the planet during the summer has made him more determined to realise his dream of playing in one of Europe’s top leagues.
The Cameroon internationalist locked horns with the likes of Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal and PSG playmaker Julian Draxler during his country’s Confederations Cup campaign in Russia.
Djoum, who has two-years left on his contract, has made no secret of his desire to use the Tynecastle club as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.
Djoum said: “It was a very good experience playing in the Confederations Cup.
“Against Germany I was up against Draxler, Emre Can, those kind of players.
“Against Chile I played against Vidal and Alexis Sanchez so it was a great experience.
“For sure it gives me a boost to do the best I can do to achieve and get to the highest level.
“I know I need to work hard because it’s not easy to get to this kind of level.
“It was a nice experience and I learn a lot from these types of games; the level, how quickly they play, how smart they are.
“I still have two years on my contract at Hearts and if a club comes for me and Hearts are happy, we can make a solution but, if not, I would be happy to stay here as well because Hearts gave me the chance to show myself and be a national team player.”
