Sander Kartum has vowed to bring creative fight to Hearts after opting for a fresh adventure in Scotland.
The midfielder sealed a permanent switch from SK Brann to become boss Neil Critchley’s fourth capture of the window. Kartum is excited about the challenge having spent an entire career so far in his homeland. At the age of 29, he’s ready to branch out and wants to show his key traits into the SPFL having faced St Mirren in this term’s Europa Conference League.
Kartum said: “I heard it was a big club with a lot of history. There are amazing fans too, so the opportunity to play here was big. I looked for the opportunity to play outside of Norway and I just decided that this is something I have to do. I feel every club I’ve been to has been a new challenge. I have grown a lot as a person and a player. From starting at Stjordals-Blink to finally being here, it’s just been big steps. I’ve been through a lot and I’m up for it.
“I like to be creative and score goals. I feel like the important thing is to fight for the team. When we played St Mirren, it was quite an experience on the football side. Tynecastle is a very big stadium. I heard a lot of good things about it with the fans and the atmosphere so I’m looking forward to getting my first playing minutes.”
Kartum penned a two-and-a-half-year deal to join defenders Michael Steinwender and Jamie McCart as well as hitman Elton Kabangu on the incoming list. Critchley is delighted with his dealings at this stage and said: “It’s been a really positive transfer window so far. Players we’ve been tracking for a while.
“Sander will give us some balance at the top end of the pitch, real attacking creativity. Can score a goal, can create a goal, connect the game together for us, he’s technically very good.
“Michael, a defender that we think will be well suited into the style of the team that we want to build. Really good guy, good age, we think he’s got more potential and development to come. Jamie, Elton, Michael and Sander, we think they’ll contribute and reinforce us and strengthen us for the future.”
Critchley could add more before deadline, but continued: “It’s always a difficult question to answer because if I say yes and then no one turns up or say no and then someone does it, you get accused of lying or playing your cards close to your chest.
“Anything can happen in January, we’re still looking, we’re still searching. Obviously our squad now is slightly top-heavier numbers, although some players have also departed in January.
“So there might be one or two exits, but that might mean that one or two might arrive as well and it could be a busy last week. But we’re really happy with the work that we’ve done so far and the players that we’ve brought in.”
Critchley could get another boost for Saturday’s clash with Kilmarnock as skipper Lawrence Shankland nears a return from injury. The boss stated: “He’s done more training this week, so that’ll be a decision that we have to make and whether we think he’s had enough to be in contention.
“Who knows, that little break might actually do him the world of good because he played virtually every minute of every game. So we’re hopeful that maybe just refreshed him mentally and physically a little bit. But we also have to make sure he’s done enough to be included.”
Gerald Taylor and Calem Nieuwenhof are also closing in on comebacks as Hearts return home after three straight away trips. Critchley said: “Yeah, really looking forward to it. We are unbeaten so far in January and we’re building some momentum.
“We’re not getting carried away, there’s no complacency. Some of the margins in the games recently have been going our way and that’s down to how we’ve been playing the game. You earn your own luck sometimes and I think we’ve deserved that little bit of fortune in some of the games because of how we’ve played.
“Kilmarnock will be a tough test, as we already previously experienced this season. But we’re at home and generally our home form has been good, our performances have been good so far at Tynecastle.”