Ryan Stevenson believes Hearts' capture of Robert Snodgrass will prove to be one of the best transfer deals this season.
Robbie Neilson landed the vastly experienced midfielder on a free earlier this year in what has been labelled as 'great business'. His value on the pitch is just as big off it with Stevenson describing the 35-year-old as the 'heart and soul' of the dressing room.
The former Scotland international will have a major role in how the Jambos' season ends up from here. They currently sit fourth in the league - just one point behind Aberdeen with a game in hand as they bid to finish best of the rest behind Celtic and Rangers once again and get another European adventure secured after a group stage campaign in the Europa Conference League this term. Hearts' return to Premiership action produced what Stevenson has described as a 'great performance' with the capital club running out 3-1 winners against Kilmarnock.
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Speaking to the Daily Record, the ex-Jambo said: "It was a great performance, orchestrated by my pal Robert Snodgrass, who is going to be one of the signings of the season.
"I’ve known Snoddy for years, firstly through just playing against him and having a bit of banter, then when he went to West Ham he was friendly with Aaron Cresswell, who had been my room-mate at Ipswich before moving to the Hammers, and is also a really good pal.
"Snoddy phoned me before signing for Hearts to ask me all about the people at the club. He had no shortage of offers and being a real ‘people person’ himself, it was important for him to know what he was going into. I told him it was the best club I’d ever played for and that the most important aspect of it was the people who worked there. It’s just a brilliant club and I was thrilled when he chose to go there.
"Getting him to Hearts was a great business from Robbie Neilson and Joe Savage because they have signed so much more than a great footballer. This is no Saturday signing - Snoddy will be the heart and soul of that dressing room and the encouragement and knowledge he will pass onto the younger players is something that money can’t buy.
"He might be 35 but age is a total irrelevance in his case. He won’t mind me saying this, but it’s not as if he has lost his pace. He didn’t have any in the first place!
"But game intelligence? Right up there with anyone else in the league. And that left peg is outrageous. Look at the pass he delivered for one of Lawrence Shankland’s goals at the weekend.
"He is just a brilliant player and one of the most dedicated professionals I’ve ever met."
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