Hearts land new signing from Italian football but 23 y/o needs time to 'get up to speed'

The 23-year-old has penned a three-year deal following the £120,000 transfer and becomes the seventh new arrival of the summer at Tynecastle Park.

Sabah has been playing the fourth tier of Italian football - Serie D - where he has racked up 71 goal involvements over the past three years. A product of the youth system of KF Vllaznia Shkoder in his homeland, Sabah made the move to Italy in 2021, before hitting the goal trail with FC Vigor Senigallia in 2022/23.

In two seasons with the club, he bagged 19 goals and 29 assists before a switch to Sambenedettese last season saw him notch 10 goals and 13 assists to help his side to the league title and promotion to Serie C.

Hearts manager Derek McInnes is looking forward to working with the latest recruit to have been identified by Jamestown Analystics but admits the player will need time to get up to speed.

"I’m pleased that we’ve been able to bring Sabah in to give us more options on the wings," McInnes said.

“He’s had a really productive few seasons in Italy and although Scottish football will be a new experience for him, we’ve seen attributes that we feel can make him a success here.

“Sabah will need to do a bit of fitness work to bring him up to speed but I’m looking forward to seeing him on the pitch once he’s ready.”

It means Kerjota is unlikely to be involved when Hearts conclude their Premier Sports Cup campaign at home to Dumbarton on Wednesday night.

McInnes side have collected nine points from their opening three fixtures, scoring 12 goals in victories over Dunfermline, Hamilton Accies and Stirling Albion.

Hearts are also closing in on the signing of Burkina Faso international forward Pierre Landry Kabore from the Estonian club JK Narva Trans.

Unlike Kerjota, 24-year-old Kabore is fit and ready to play for Hearts once the transfer is confirmed having been playing in the Estonian Meistriliiga, which runs from March till November.