Hearts centre-back John Souttar insists that he is not considering a move away from Tynecastle Park, amid reported interest from Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers.
The 25-year-old has just over six months remaining on his contract and is at risk of leaving the club for free next summer, however head coach Robbie Neilson is keen for the Scotland international to extend his deal.
Souttar had endured a frustrating time on the sidelines with an Achilles tendon rupture, featuring only 15 times between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
However this campaign, the defender has made 20 appearances across all competitions and has reiterated how he is fully focused on each match for Hearts.
"Before my injuries, [the transfer speculation] would have affected me more. Now, I don't take anything for granted. I go into every game completely focused on the match and what I need to do," Souttar told The Courier.
"Everything else gets blanked out because I'm just thankful to be on the pitch. The older I get, and the experiences I've picked up, the easier it has got to deal with speculation.
"I'm loving my football just now. To be playing without any worries about injuries is brilliant. It's the best I've felt in my career, physically, and that's all the matters."
Souttar has spent the last five years at Tynecastle, making a total of 149 appearances across all competitions.
Oliver Thomas
