Hearts have officially announced the signing of former Motherwell midfielder Blair Spittal.
The 28-year-old, who spent the last two seasons at Fir Park, has signed a three-year deal with the Jambos as Steven Naismith further bolsters his side ahead of next campaign.
Spittal enters Tynecastle having asserted himself as a well-known figure in Scottish football, after spells with Queen’s Park, Dundee United, Partick Thistle and Motherwell.
Last season, the midfielder was integral to Stuart Kettlewell’s side, with Spittal scoring 13 goals and assisting 11 for his teammates in all competitions as The Steelmen steered clear of a relegation battle. It was widely reported that the player had signed a pre-contract agreement with the Tynecastle outfit in January.
“I’m really pleased to get Blair signed up,” said Naismith, speaking to the official Hearts website. “He’s got a wealth of experience in Scottish football and his form last season was up there with the best in the league.
“He’s going to provide another dimension to the team going forward and he’ll give us more options when we start navigating through domestic and European fixtures”.
Hearts will discover their European fate on August 5th with the Europa League Playoff draw taking place, however, Spittal will have time to gel with his teammates with upcoming friendlies against Leyton Orient, Tottenham Hotspur and Fleetwood Town scheduled throughout July.
Spittal, also said he is ‘buzzing’ to be finally making the move after rumours and official confirmation of the pre-contract deal circulated in March:
“To finally be here is a good feeling”, he said. “The position that I play in is one that’s judged by the numbers. Last season was a productive one for myself and it’s one that I’m looking to carry on.
“It was straightforward to be honest. After one conversation with the manager, I knew I wanted to come here. This is a club that keeps moving forward and it was an offer I couldn’t turn down to come here”.
Spittal joins James Penrice and Ryan Fulton as the latest Tynecastle recruits.
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