Hearts without key men for Rangers - but Robbie Neilson is forceful on John Souttar situation

Michael Smith and Craig Halkett will both miss out on Hearts’ trip to Glasgow on Sunday, but John Souttar has shown signs that he could be fit to represent his current employers when they take on his future team-mates at Ibrox.

Hearts Craig Halkett and John Souttar watch on during a cinch Premiership against and Motherwell at Tynecastle.

And, if he is fit, he will play, according to his Gorgie gaffer Robbie Neilson, who says there was a reason the club retained his services beyond the end of the transfer window.

“For me there is not a conundrum at all,” said Neilson. “I think it’s getting built up with everyone else talking about it.

‘We have a squad here and he’s one of our better players. If he is fit, he plays. If he is not fit, he won’t play. That’s it.

“Everyone else talks about this and that but John’s a top professional and a top player and I know when he goes out on the pitch he will give 100 per cent. So I don’t have any qualms about it at all.

“He did a wee bit of running today [Friday]. Hopefully he gets through that fine and then he will train on Saturday with a view to being available for the game.”

Neilson maintains the Scotland defender was comfortable with the Tynecastle club’s stance throughout January, agreeing that any fee paid by Rangers to accelerate his switch had to reflect his value to Hearts. When the Govan side failed to meet the valuation, Souttar agreed that he should not be allowed to leave on the cheap.

“Right from the start … we spoke to John. John agreed with it but the fee never came.

“He’s been great right the way through. He understands the situation. He’s been here for a number of years and his main objective now is, first and foremost, to get us European football and secondly stay in the Scotland set-up. If he continues to play the way he has been playing he will do that.

“But, the guys who have come in have done great. Taylor Moore has done very well. Toby Sibbick came in more as a development with the potential of moving into the first team in the summer but he’s done extremely well and Atkinson has played a lot more than we expected. The three of them have done great.”

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