Steven Naismith refuses to rule out a pre-contract with Hearts

Steven Naismith has scored 11 goals so far this season. Picture: SNS

The 32-year-old striker is enjoying an upswing in fortunes after a move to Norwich, where he is still contracted until the end of this season, turned sour. He has scored 11 goals this season in a second loan spell at the Tynecastle club. He is set to win his 50th cap for Scotland next month and there is the possibility he could end the calendar year by lifting the Betfred Cup with Hearts.

Celtic are the team standing in the way of a final appearance when the teams clash in the last four at BT Murrayfield tomorrow. Naismith has stressed he wants to concentrate on achieving these aims for club and country before deciding his future.

“I’ve not thought about anything, even the fact that I’ll be on a free transfer in the summer,” he said. “I’ve loved the start of the season.

“I wouldn’t rule it [signing a pre-contract deal] out at all. But I also know that this  season, for me, is about my football – about playing and playing and playing.

“I’m not going to start doing things that will upset that one way or the other, whether that be with Hearts or whatever.

“But Hearts have been great to me in the past year to 18 months come the end of the season. So that’s something that I do appreciate.”