Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Jambo Avdijaj targets new high in “crazy career”
DONIS Avdijaj admits he has had a “crazy career” so far but the Hearts newcomer is confident he will bring his goalscoring ability to Scotland.
The 23-year-old has already played in the top flights of Germany, Austria, Holland and Turkey and represented his native Germany at youth level and Kosovo as a full international.
The former Schalke winger signed a six-month contract at
Hearts on Monday after being attracted to the club by Daniel Stendel when he decided to cut his ties with Trabzonspor.
The versatile forward had only been in Turkey for six months of a well-travelled life in football. Avdijaj was a prolific goalscorer in his youth career and was given a £41 million release clause in his contract after being linked with Liverpool.
He helped Sturm Graz reach the
Champions League qualifiers during a loan spell, played in the Bundesliga and had a fruitful loan spell at Roda JC. He then endured an unhappy time at Willem II after leaving Schalke before his brief spell in Turkey.
“I can say I have had a crazy career until now but I can say I have learned a lot. I know a lot of mentalities and there is no country, no city in the world where I don’t score,” said Avdijaj.
“I score everywhere and also here. I hope I can show this to the people.
“I have had ups and downs but I will do everything to make sure Hearts is one of the ups.
“Since I was 16, every year in the newspapers I have read good and bad things about me. But I cannot choose what other people write. I only know what my decision is and where I want to go, and this is the only one that counts.”