Hearts manager Robbie Neilson insists he has no concerns with playing John Souttar against Rangers on Sunday even though the Scotland defender could effectively be trying to stop himself featuring in next season’s Champions League.
The 25-year-old will join Rangers in the summer after signing a pre-contract last month.
If he overcomes the injury that kept him out of Tuesday’s draw with Hibernian, Souttar will line up against his future employers in Glasgow this weekend and be tasked with trying to prevent them picking up a much-needed victory in their battle to beat Celtic to the cinch Premiership title.
“I’ve got no concerns at all about John playing on Sunday,” said Neilson.
“This (transfer situation) has been going on for over a month and he’s been great. He’s trained away 100 per cent and when he’s played the games he’s been very good.
“I expect him to be exactly the same on Sunday. It’s a big game and he’s one of our best players, so if he’s fit I’m pretty sure he’ll play well. I’m pretty confident he’ll be available. I spoke to him this morning and he was feeling a lot better.”
Neilson admits the rule in Scotland that allows players to agree pre-contracts with other clubs as long as six months before they depart is difficult.
“Pre-contracts are always difficult up here,” he said.
“Down in England it doesn’t really happen, but here it comes out in the press and John’s got to deal with it and the club have got to deal with it. John’s been great with us the whole way along.
“We knew what we were looking for (in terms of a transfer fee in the January window), John accepted that and it didn’t come in, so we need to move on.
“It is a strange situation, but it’s not my call. I know down in England they don’t do it but up here it happens, so we just need to deal with it.”
Neilson has been pleased with the way third-placed Hearts have competed in their matches with Rangers and Celtic this season.
But he wants them to break new ground by winning in Glasgow for the first time since 2014 and closing the 13-point gap between his side and second-placed Rangers.
“Ibrox is a difficult venue to go to,” he said.
“They’re coming off the back of an Old Firm defeat (3-0 against Celtic) so it could go both ways. We need to believe we can go there and get a result, which I think we do.
“We got a draw there the last time and in periods of the game we played well. Don’t get me wrong, Rangers are a very good team so you have to try to contain them.
“We’re slowly progressing and we’re getting closer and closer but we still have quite a way to go.”
