Duarte ready for Heracles

Midfielder Lerin Duarte is looking forward to plying his trade at Heracles Almelo next season after agreeing a move from Sparta Rotterdam.

The 20-year-old, a youth product at Sparta, successfully came through a medical at Heracles on Tuesday and has agreed a three-year deal at the Eredivisie club.

Duarte says he is delighted to make the step up from the Eerste Divisie to the Dutch top-flight after two seasons playing for the Sparta senior team.

He told Heracles' official website: "I played at Sparta, and of course this is a nice club. But I've only played at Sparta and at some point you want to do something else, you want to go up that step. And my feeling is Heracles Almelo is a nice step.

"Every player wants to play in the Premier League. It is surely the highest level where you would like to show what you can do.

"But not only that, I also have a good conversation with the trainer and Heracles had looked like a nice club.

"I'm just going to do my best as a player and if I succeed, then I think I'm on the right track."