Malachi Boateng has signed with Heart of Midlothian from Crystal Palace for an undisclosed fee, ready to make his first appearance against Rangers, while prospective recruit Andres Salazar observed from the Tynecastle stands.
The 22-year-old defensive midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Dundee, has committed to a three-year contract with the Scottish Premiership side.
The announcement of his signing came in the morning, and he took his place on the bench, making a late substitution in Saturday’s scoreless Scottish Premiership opener.
Boateng, originally from London, has prior experience in Scotland following a loan stint with Queen’s Park before accumulating 36 appearances for Dundee.
Head coach Steven Naismith commented on the club’s website: “In Malachi, we’ve secured a strong, athletic midfielder capable of both winning and playing the ball.”
“While we have completed most of our recruitment early, we continue to evaluate our varied needs, and with a few players sidelined due to injury, we felt it necessary to act quickly.”
Furthermore, when asked if Salazar, the 21-year-old currently with Atletico Nacional and boasting one senior cap for Colombia, attended Saturday’s match, Naismith responded: “I believe he was there, so we’ll see how that progresses in the upcoming days.”
