The Hearts free transfer who could make them millions after best week of life - even if he looks 'ugly' now

Greek winger Kyziridis is an Adonis to the Hearts faithful. A facial injury is not going to stop change that. Not after he swept in his fifth goal of the season to help down defending champions Celtic 3-1 at Tynecastle and move the Jam Tarts eight points clear in title race.

Kyziridis is a great example of the new dawn at Hearts. At 25-years-old, he has spent most of his career plodding around Europe, with Volos in his homeland, a spell with Debrecen in Hungary and five seasons in Slovakia with Moravce-Vrable, Mura and then Zemplin Michalovce. How do you unearth someone like him? Jamestown Analytics is the answer.

After scoring 15 goals in 26 appearance last season in the Slovakian top flight, Tony Bloom’s supercomputer spewed out Kyziridis’ name. It will surely gall fans of Celtic and Rangers that Hearts paid no transfer fee for the out-of-contract winger. It puts the millions shelled out on the likes of Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Oliver Antman to shame.

Kyziridis is clearly the Premiership’s best winger right now. Some are already tipping him to make Hearts a pretty penny in the future. For now, he is terrorising full-backs down the left. He loves to cut inside on his right foot and shoot, just like he did in scoring against Celtic, but he is also capable of tearing down the flank. For now, no Scottish defence has worked out how to keep him quiet.

Kyziridis’ words come with a steely determination and clarity. “For me, every goal is important,” he said. “It doesn't matter if you play against Celtic or against Kilmarnock or against St. Mirren. It doesn't matter. It's the same feeling that I will take if I score a goal against Celtic, and the same feeling if I score against Kilmarnock.

Kyziridis keeping it real at Hearts

“The most important for me is to try to help the team. Even if it's a goal or assist, even sometimes that I need to run more or to defend more. This is my job, and this is what I want to do.”

Ably assisted by other Hearts players, there is now a real expectation that the Tynecastle side can challenge for the title. “I don't want to talk about that,” Kyziridis fired back. “It was just a game. So many games left, so we just need to be focused. Every game, game by game. There is no pressure. We are enjoying it. We have to continue like this. That's all.”

These are heady times for Kyziridis. He has quickly established himself at Hearts and in the build-up to the Celtic game became a father after his wife gave birth to his son Charalambos. “It was a hard week, to be honest,” he said. “But it was by far the best week of my life. I sleep well, thanks to my wife. She was looking after him so I could sleep, and I sleep well. Thanks to her.”

His head coach Derek McInnes joked in the immediate aftermath of beating Celtic that Kyziridis Jnr could one day play for Scotland. Little Charalambos’ dad has more immediate aims - he is hoping his current form at Hearts catches the eye of Greece national team coach Ivan Jovanovic, especially as their next match is against Scotland in Piraeus.

“Yeah, it's one of my targets,” Kyziridis said of representing Greece. “For sure. It's an honour to play for your national team. What can I say about that? I'm waiting. If they need me, I will be there. And I know that we play against Scotland ... that would be amazing. But no one knows. Only the manager. I'm here. If they need me, I will go for sure.”

Kyziridis can for now take heart from the fact his club needs him. He is front and centre of their incredible start to the season - even if the winger, his teammates and McInnes continue to play down their title chances.

“The dream is when you're sleeping,” was Kyziridis’ response when asked if he envisioning Hearts winning the league. For a man who may find 40 winks hard to come by over the next few months, it was an apt response. He knows there is still so much work to do, starting at St Mirren on Wednesday.