Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy has admitted that he would let Christophe Berra leave this summer if the defender was keen to go.
The 32-year-old is about to reach the end of his contract with the Tractor Boys, although the club do have a further 12-month option on the player.
Berra is thought to be keen on a return to his native Scotland to be closer to his young daughter, however, with former club Hearts among those interested in his signature.
"Christophe Berra, as you know, there has been talk about him going to Hearts," said McCarthy, who brought Berra to Portman Road in 2013, having previously signed him at Wolverhampton Wanderers. "I'm saying Hearts, because it was the club he was at, but I mean Scotland. We've got an option on him.
"I've had Christophe for a long time now. If anyone comes to me and says they've got a funeral, a wedding or a birth, anything, I always say 'go and sort it out'. Those family issues will be there for them when I'm long gone and when they're long gone from any club. That's important to me.
"The issue is that all the players sign contracts and if there's an option in it then it's there for the club to take up or not. It's only at these times when people start questioning that option.
"What happens if I'd have gone and someone came in and went 'I want Christophe Berra to stay here'? There's nothing he could do about that. He might say 'I don't want to play and I don't want to be here', but ultimately if we picked him I know what Christophe would do – he'd play.
"I'm not suggesting that scenario might happen, but it could. If there are options in the contract, it's up to the club to decide. But I wouldn't want to keep a player that was desperately wanting to be somewhere else. You might as well play somebody else who is wanting to play."
Berra has made 159 Championship appearances during his time with Ipswich, contributing 13 goals.
Neil Wilkes
