Melbourne Heart have announced the signing of Liberian international Patrick Gerhardt.

The 26-year old Swiss-born defensive midfielder has signed a two-year deal with the Heart, joining from Bosnian side FK Zeljeznicar.

Heart head coach John Aloisi feels that Gerhardt, who can also be deployed across the back four, will be a great asset to his squad for the 2012/13 A-League season.

"Patrick will bring a lot to the Club. Defensive midfield is the position we see him most suited to, but he's versatile. He can win the ball, but he can also play the ball out of the back," Aloisi said.

"He played in Bosnia last year and won the double, the League and the Cup, so he brings a winning mentality. He's also a national team player with Liberia, so he's got a lot of experience for a young person.

"We've had good feedback from the people we know in Europe, and they've said not only is he a good player, but a good person, and that's an important factor for our club."

 The game is about opinions. Make yours heard! Join the tribalfootball.com nation on Facebook today: Facebook.com/tribalfootball