Hearts fans split on John Souttar future as defender mulls over new contract

The majority of Hearts fans don’t believe John Souttar will still be at Tynecastle next season.

John Souttar is considering a contract offer from Hearts with his current deal due to expire at the end of the season. Picture: SNS

The centre-back, who has started the 2021/22 campaign in terrific form, is still mulling over the offer of a contract extension from the club with his current deal up next summer, which would give him the chance to talk to other teams in the January transfer window.

In a poll conducted by the Evening News, 42.9 per cent of fans believe the player will sign a new deal before being sold once the current season ends. Souttar previously spoke of hoping an agreement could be reached whereby Hearts would receive a transfer fee for the player they helped nurse back from consecutive Achilles tendon tears.

Another 11 per cent of supporters expect the former Dundee United defender to refuse a new deal and depart on a free once his current one expires, while 3.9 per cent expect his exit to come in the January window, much like Souttar’s team-mate Jamie Walker when he left for Wigan Athletic in the 2018 January transfer window as his contract dwindled down.

That leaves 42.1 per cent who take the optimistic view that Souttar will remain in Gorgie into next season at the very least. The Covid-19 pandemic has hit club finances across the globe and slowed down the transfer market with Hearts’ arch-rivals Hibs one beneficiary as they successful held onto the likes of Martin Boyle, Kevin Nisbet and Josh Doig in the summer window despite serious interest from elsewhere.

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