Former Hearts favourite lined up for Premiership return in third SPFL spell

Former Hearts and St Mirren forward Esmael Goncalves could be back at Tynecastle next season – in the colours of Livingston.

The Buddies’ League Cup winner has been targeted for a return to Scotland by West Lothian boss David Martindale as he looks to re-shape his squad for the new season.

Livingston have seen club stalwart Keaghan Jacobs, Craig Sibbald, Jack McMillan and forwards Matej Poplatnik and Gavin Reilly all reach the end of their contracts and Goncalves has emerged as a potential recruit according to the Daily Record.

The 30-year-old is currently playing in Bangladesh during a well-travelled career that includes stop-offs in Portugal, Iran, Uzbekistan and Japan around his two stints in the SPFL.

He scored 15 times and made more than 40 appearances in a year at Hearts under Ian Cathro and Craig Levein, and was part of St Mirren’s League Cup win at Hampden nine years ago.