Hearts sign goalkeeper Reus as Schwolow departs

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Heart of Midlothian have confirmed a change in goalkeeping personnel, with Alexander Schwolow set to leave Tynecastle and Beau Reus arriving as his replacement. The club said Schwolow, 34, will return to Germany to join Mainz on 1 August after a single season in Edinburgh, with the transfer fee undisclosed.

Schwolow, formerly of Freiburg and Hertha Berlin, played 33 times for Hearts and recorded 15 clean sheets as the team finished second in the Scottish Premiership last season. According to BBC Sport, Hearts said they had accepted the goalkeeper’s wish to be nearer home and described him as a valued squad member.

Reus, a 24-year-old Dutch goalkeeper, joins on a free transfer after four seasons with Belgian club Beveren. He has signed a three-year deal. The BBC report notes that Reus is 6ft 6in and was part of the Beveren side that won Belgium’s second-tier Challenger Pro League last season.

The move comes during a wider reshaping of Hearts’ goalkeeping group under new head coach Wouter Vrancken. BBC Sport notes that Craig Gordon has retired, while Liam McFarlane and Harry Stone are out on loan at Partick Thistle and Ayr United respectively. Ryan Fulton and Zander Clark remain among the goalkeepers with first-team experience, making Reus’ arrival significant as Hearts prepare for the new campaign after a strong league finish.