Jose Goncalves swaps Hearts for Nuremberg

Portuguese defender signs one-year deal with German club

Portuguese under-21 international defender Jose Goncalves has left Hearts to join German second division club Nuremberg on a season-long loan deal.

The 22-year-old, who has been in Scotland since January 2006, has had an injury-troubled time in Edinburgh, making just 47 appearances in his two-and-a-half years with the Jambos.

Negotiations between the clubs had been ongoing for several weeks, with Nuremberg’s sporting director expressing his frustration with Hearts counterpart Vladimir Romanov earlier this week. “He is unpredictable. We have been negotiating with him for months already, and he is very erratic. That makes it difficult,” he said of the Lithuanian.

However, a deal has now been struck for Goncalves, who represented Portugal at the European under-21 Championships in Holland last year, to move to the Frankenstadion to help Martin Bader’s side bounce straight back into the Bundesliga next season.

Nuremberg, who historically are one of Germany’s most successful clubs, ended the season in 16th place in the top flight last year, finishing three points adrift of safety and bringing an end to a four-year stay in the Bundesliga.