Peter Haring: Hearts sign Austrian centre-back, subject to clearance
- Published
Peter Haring has spent a season with Ried
Hearts have signed Austrian defender Peter Haring on a two-year deal, subject to international clearance.
The 25-year-old centre-back, who played for SV Ried in Austria's second tier last season, becomes the 10th player to join the Edinburgh club this summer.
He will compete with Christophe Berra, John Souttar and Aaron Hughes for a spot in Craig Levein's line-up.
"I am really happy to be here. It's a big chance for me to play for such a big club," Haring told Hearts TV.
"I came here two weeks ago to meet the coach and he showed me around, and now I'm really happy to be here and to be a Hearts player. I have no problem with the competition (for places)."
Haring made 36 appearances during his only season at Ried, picking up 15 yellow cards, and was previously at Rapid Vienna and SC Austria Lustenau.
He spent three seasons with Rapid after spells with Siegendorf, Schatterndorf and Baumgarten, but only played for Rapid's second team before joining Lustenau in 2015.
Levein is in the process of overhauling his playing squad after Hearts finished sixth in the Premiership last season.
He has already signed goalkeeper Zdenek Zlama, defenders Ben Garuccio and Bobby Burns, midfielders Olly Lee, Jake Mulraney, Ryan Edwards and Oliver Bozanic, and forwards Steven MacLean and Uche Ikpeazu.
Striker Conor Sammon has also returned to the club after a loan spell at Partick Thistle.
But winger David Milinkovic is unlikely to return to Tynecastle after the two parties failed to agree terms.