Hearts confirm talks with John Souttar over a new contract

Hearts have confirmed the club have held initial talks with John Souttar about a new contract.

Hearts are keen to tie John Souttar down to a new contract. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

The centre-back has entered the final year of his current deal at Tynecastle Park.

Souttar joined Hearts as a teenager from Dundee United in 2016, signing a three-and-a-half year deal. Three years later his contract was extended to 2022.

The 24-year-old has made a strong start to his return to the Scottish top-flight having overcome two ruptured Achilles in the last seven months.

He returned to Robbie Neilson’s starting XI ahead of schedule, playing four times at the end of the Championship campaign.

Now there is a strong desire to tie him down on an extended deal.

"We’ve spoken to John about it," Neilson told the Evening News. “It’s something we’re trying to do.

"John’s a top player. Devastated to lose him last season, delighted to get him back and as soon as he was fit he was in the team.

"He’s been hindered with injuries and it has been a difficult few years for him but hopefully we can give him the platform to get back to back to where he was and enjoying playing his football again.

"The last season he was involved in was a relegation one so to come back and have a season where we are hopefully winning the majority of games he will enjoy it.”

The player recently spoke about his belief that he was in the best shape of his career after going through a gym programme and getting a strong pre-season under his belt.

Neilson is keen to play a key role in helping Souttar get back into the Scotland squad, the player having earned three caps for his country so far, following his injury tribulations

There is an understanding that if the centre-back, who has still played more than 200 career games, reaches his potential he will move on from Hearts.

“If John gets back to the level he has been at and I believe he can go even higher," Neilson said,

"We know John will move on but my job’s to get him to that level and I can see him getting back on the international scene, hopefully playing football here and then moving.”

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