Hearts have snapped up Algerian defender Ismael Bouzid from Turkish club Ankaragucu.
Defender makes it four for Laszlo
Hearts have snapped up Algerian defender Ismael Bouzid from Turkish club Ankaragucu.
The 25-year-old agreed a deal with the Edinburgh outfit on Wednesday night following their 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat to Slask Wroclaw.
Bouzid, the Jambos' fourth recruit of the summer, said: "I am very pleased to be joining Hearts.
"It is a European club that I am aware of and I know it is a very strong club.
"I am looking forward to playing my part in making the club successful."
Capped 10 times by Algeria, Bouzid's previous clubs include Galatasaray - where he won a league title - French outfit Troyes and German sides Kaiserslautern.
He holds dual French/Algerian nationality and does not require a work permit.
Jambos boss Csaba Laszlo was delighted to make Bouzid his fourth signing of the summer.
"He is a very good experienced player that can help us," said Laszlo. "We have had him on our radar since last season.
"He is physically very strong, quick and is good in the air. I think he can help organise our defence because he has a very good personality.
"Ismael can definitely help us because Kari (Christos Karipidis) and (Christophe) Berra left the club last season.
"Now we have him, Marius Zaliukas and Dawid Kucharski, with Ryan McGowan and Jose Goncalves - who can also play central defence - we can close this part of our squad."
Honour
Meanwhile, Michael Stewart says he would be "honoured" to take the captain's armband at Hearts next season.
The Scotland midfielder, who scored the winner in Tuesday night's 2-1 friendly victory against Goslar 08, is the favourite to land the role.
"It would be a real honour to get it and I am sure it would interest anybody and I'm no different," Stewart told the club's official website
"It would be a fantastic honour and something I'd hold in high regard.
"It's not really something I have thought about. After the last game of last season, I was out of the country the next day and didn't get back until a couple of days before pre-season.
"When I came back, the gaffer came up and spoke to me about the situation and I was happy to take it on board."
