Heart of Midlothian have sold Greece international winger Alexandros Kyziridis to newly promoted Turkish Super Lig club Corum, in a transfer reported to be worth around £1.7 million.
The 25-year-old arrived at Tynecastle last summer on a free transfer from Slovakian outfit Zemplin Michalovce, and his time in Edinburgh proved fruitful both for the player and the club. Kyziridis made 45 appearances for Hearts, contributing six goals and 11 assists, a productive return that helped earn him his first senior call-up to the Greek national team earlier this year.
Corum, who have secured promotion to Turkey's top flight for the first time in their history, have moved quickly to bolster their squad ahead of life in the Super Lig. The club have handed Kyziridis a three-year contract, with a clause allowing for a further 12-month extension, underlining their ambition to build a squad capable of competing at the higher level.
For Hearts, the sale represents a significant financial windfall on a player who cost them nothing to sign. Having brought Kyziridis in as a free agent, the Scottish club have now recouped a substantial fee, a deal head coach Wouter Vrancken was quick to praise.
Speaking after Hearts' commanding 4-0 victory over Dundee United, Vrancken addressed the departure directly.