Michael McGovern was “desperate” to join Hearts and team up with some familiar faces following his move from Norwich.
The 39-year-old former Ross County, Falkirk and Hamilton goalkeeper left the Canaries at the end of last season after seven years at Carrow Road.
McGovern, who has 32 caps for Northern Ireland and who played at the Euro 2016 finals, knows the Jambos management team of head coach Frankie McAvoy, technical director Steven Naismith and sporting director Joe Savage, as well as new club-mate, Northern Ireland striker Liam Boyce and former Gorgie and fellow compatriot defender Aaron Hughes.
McGovern signed a one-year deal with the option of a further year and is the Tynecastle club’s first summer signing.
He told HeartsTV: “I’m delighted. Hearts are a massive club, I’m excited to be here and looking forward to getting started.
“It’s pleasing to be back because I loved my time in Scottish football.
“I loved the passion that the fans have and I’m looking forward to getting back into it, being in front of crowds and enjoying the atmosphere.
“I played with Naisy at Norwich and worked with both Frankie and Joe at Hamilton and Norwich. There are a lot of familiar faces and once the opportunity to come here came about, I was desperate to be a part of it.
“I want to be involved at a big club in Scotland. Hearts are among the biggest and it’s not something I could turn down.
“I spoke to Boycie the other day and had a chat with Aaron Hughes, who I still speak to now and again.
“They spoke really highly of the club. Hopefully I can contribute and be one of those players people speak about in the future.”
McGovern will join fellow stoppers Zander Clark and Craig Gordon – who is working his way back from a long-term injury – and he said: “It’s a really good group.
“Craig’s making his way back from injury and he did really well last season – playing fantastically.
“I’ll be pushing them both, trying to get into the team, because I’m wanting to play.
“Even if I’m not, I want to be supporting whoever is playing and trying to be a positive member of the group. That’s the way I do things.”
McAvoy said: “Michael is someone who I know very well from our time together at Hamilton Academical and then Norwich City.
“He’s got great character but, most importantly, he’s a first-class goalkeeper and you only need to look at the career he’s had to see that.
“He’ll push Zander all the way in the training as we head towards the start of the season and I’m certain our young goalkeeper will find his experience invaluable.”
Naismith said: “I played with Michael at Norwich City so I know first-hand how good of a goalkeeper he is and he has the right characteristics to fit into this group of players.
“With departures from last season and Craig Gordon working hard on his rehabilitation, we were a bit short in the goalkeeping department so when the opportunity came up to bring someone of Michael’s pedigree in, it was really a no brainer.
“The experience he’s amassed playing at the highest level in Scotland, England and internationally will be massive benefit to the squad as a whole, but particularly our goalkeepers.
“We’re excited about Harry Stone’s prospects and Michael coming in allows him to get even more game time, be it with the B team or a loan move, with a view to him coming into the first-team squad.”
Arteta hails 'phenomenal' Arsenal drive to take Man City all the way
Mikel Arteta hailed the "phenomenal" drive shown by his Arsenal side to push Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race.
The Gunners moved one point clear of City at the Premier League summit on Sunday with a 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
City have a chance to restore their advantage when they travel to Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham on Tuesday, before then hosting West Ham.
Regardless of what happens in midweek, Arsenal will go into their final game of the campaign at home to Everton with the title battle still alive.
Speaking to BBC Sport after his side's latest win, Arteta said: "It is a phenomenal thing they are doing."
However, Arteta was not entirely pleased with the manner of his side's slender victory, even if they were good value for the win overall.
"We weren't composed, clean enough, consistent enough and were unable to do the simple things right," he said. "That doesn't give you control.
"Some of the players have not been in this position; they don't know what is at stake and how you feel emotionally to have to win and win and win from December or January."
Arsenal's win was just their second in 17 Premier League trips to Old Trafford, most recently coming out on top in November 2020.
Lenadro Trossard scored what proved to be the winner with 20 minutes played, tapping in from close range after being set up by Kai Havertz.
"We needed a result today in a really difficult place," Arteta added. "Our history was not in favour of a result today.
"There was so much at stake and we're happy with the result. We started the game really well and were dominant.
"We scored the goal and I think the goal led to slightly bad things because we started to play too safe, too sideways, too backwards with not enough structure.
"We started to give the ball away in good areas and that is a danger against them. But we defended well and didn't concede too much."
Arsenal now find themselves cheering on Tottenham against City, knowing that anything other than a win for Pep Guardiola's men will leave their title fate in their own hands.
Asked if he will be watching that game, Arteta said: "We will be sat watching and it’s true we need the result in order to achieve [the title]. In football there are always possibilities."
Tuchel skips goodbye from fans after final Bayern home game
Departing Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel opted on Sunday to quietly slip into the changing rooms instead of joining his players to celebrate after the Bavarians beat Wolfsburg 2-0.
Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season – a year earlier than his contract ends – following a disappointing campaign with no silverware.
The win came four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without a trophy in over a decade.
"These are the moments for the players," he said when asked why he did not join his squad who went in front of the Bayern ultras after their final home game of the season.
"I don't want to be in the spotlight there. That's for the team. I know that the cameras are there.
"I prefer to go in [to the changing rooms]. It is about the team. The fans are there for the team. They need to be celebrated."
There has been little to celebrate for Tuchel in his 14 months in charge, with Bayern having managed to win only the Bundesliga title last season after Borussia Dortmund slipped up on the final matchday.
He said he did not yet know what he would take away from his time at Bayern, who missed out on Bundesliga glory to Bayer Leverkusen this term.
"Last home game and what remains I don't really know," he said. "It will take some time to see what is left.
"It is a privilege to coach at this level. I came to win as many titles as possible. We did not succeed in that."
Juventus 1-1 Salernitana: Late Rabiot goal salvages home draw
Juventus snatched a 1-1 draw at home to relegated Salernitana courtesy of a late Adrien Rabiot goal that cancelled out a first-half header from Niccolo Pierozzi in Serie A on Sunday.
Juve are fourth on 67 points with two matches left, six points ahead of Atalanta, who have two games in hand.
Salernitana shocked the Allianz Stadium as unmarked Pierozzi headed home after 27 minutes following a corner.
But Juventus dominated the rest of the match and equalised in stoppage time when Rabiot slid the ball home at the back post after a corner was flicked on.
Bottom side Salernitana were doomed to the drop last month.
Juve play in the Italian Cup final against Atalanta on Wednesday in an effort to save a disappointing season and stop their winless streak at six matches in all competitions.
Data Debrief: Another stalemate for Juve
Juventus were grateful for a point come full-time, albeit it was a poor result in the grand scheme of things. Juve have now draw five successive matches in Serie A for the first time since between April and May 2009.
In fact, only Heidenheim of the Bundesliga (10) have drawn more matches than Juventus have (nine from 18 games) across Europe's top five leagues in 2024.
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