The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lafferty seals Jam Tarts switch
Kyle Lafferty aims to use Hearts as a springboard to the World Cup after agreeing to sign for the Edinburgh club.
The Northern Ireland international has signed a two-year contract subject to a medical.
The former Rangers striker was a free agent after leaving an unhappy spell at Norwich.
The 29-year-old, who had spells with Swiss side Sion and Italian outfit Palermo after leaving Ibrox in 2012, told Hearts’ official website: “I just wanted to come to somewhere where I can play football. I’ve got an important year ahead of me.
“I’m hoping to make the World Cup with Northern Ireland, so it’s an important year and I’ve been told I’ll be a main focal point of the team, which over the past two or three years I’ve thrived on and I’ve produced the goods.”
Lafferty, who has scored 20 goals in 62 internationals, added: “It’s been a frustrating three or four days, to be honest, whether we were going to get it over the line or not, but finally we have and I’m absolutely delighted to be back in Scotland to play my football and most importantly to play for a massive team like Hearts.”
Meanwhile, the capital club have agreed a deal to release Nigeria left-back Juwon Oshaniwa.
The defender, who played in the 2014 World Cup, signed a three-year contract at Tynecastle in the summer of 2015, but after making 25 appearances in his first campaign did not feature at all in the first team last season.
The club announced the 26-year-old had left by mutual consent.
Hearts have also struck an agreement that will see their two opening Ladbrokes Premiership home matches played at Motherwell and Kilmarnock instead as work continues on their new £12 million main stand.
Hearts will now travel to Rugby Park on August 12 and Fir Park two weeks later. Kilmarnock will instead visit the new-look Tynecastle on November 4, with Motherwell the guests on December 9.
The arrangement means Hearts will play their first four league games away from home before they host Aberdeen on September 9 in the first game in front of the new structure.