Gerald Taylor, a Costa Rican international defender, has joined Heart of Midlothian on a loan from Deportivo Saprissa. The move is pending approval from the Scottish FA, international clearance, and visa requirements.
After the arrivals of Yan Dhanda, James Penrice, Blair Spittal, Musa Drammeh, Daniel Oyegoke, and Ryan Fulton, the 23-year-old becomes the team’s seventh summer acquisition.
The agreement that brought international teammate Kenneth Vargas to Hearts is comparable to the one that brought Taylor to Tynecastle Park. There is a chance to make the change permanent with the 12-month loan.
Taylor, who can play right-back or wing-back, flew into Edinburgh earlier this week to finalise the transfer having been with Costa Rica at the Copa America. He made a substitute appearance in the draw with Brazil and played the full game in the 2-1 win over Paraguay.
He has played more than 100 times for Saprissa, who are Costa Rica’s biggest club, winning a number of trophies. Hearts head coach Steven Naismith described him as a “winner”.
“A lot of work has been done on this deal so it’s fantastic that we’re now able to welcome Gerald to the club,” he told the club’s official site.
“You look at what Gerald has crammed into his career at such a young age – league titles, continental experience, international caps – and it’s clear to see that he is a winner.
“His hard work, along with his talent, has got him to where he is today and I think the exciting thing is that there is more to come from him.
“Being an international teammate of Kenneth is a bonus in that he will be able to help Gerald settle, and we’ll also give him time and the benefit of our experience to ensure that he continues his trajectory and becomes a success at Hearts.”
