McCarthy insists Berra is not heading to Hearts

HEARTS have been warned they face a battle to land Christophe Berra — with Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy insisting there’s no chance the defender will be returning to his first club this month. Tynecastle head coach Ian Cathro, whose side face Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup on Sunday, has placed the Scotland international at the top of his January wishlist, with the player said to be open to a return to Gorgie. But McCarthy, whose side sit 14th in the English Championship, is adamant his club won’t simply pay up the bulk of Berra’s existing deal to facilitate a passage back north of the border this month. ‘That is just ridiculous. Have you seen how many players we’ve had recently, the squad and the subs we’ve had?’ said the Ipswich manager. ‘And I would be settling up Christophe Berra’s contract, who has played every game? No, I don’t think so. ‘How ridiculous that rumour is. There are rumours that might be close to the truth, but that’s as far away from the truth as you can get. It’s nuts. ‘He’s not heading back (to Scotland) now. He’s got eight weeks off in the summer, he can do what he wants then! ‘We’ve got an option on him (to activate a clause in his contract for another 12 months). ‘He’s our player for the next 18 months if that’s what we want to do. ‘I can’t see any reason why I wouldn’t want to keep Christophe Berra. He’s been different class, arguably our best defender for the last four years. He’s staying here as far as I’m concerned.’ But that’s unlikely to dissuade Cathro, who believes he can either get the player this month or, more likely, in the summer. The Hearts boss is seeking defensive reinforcements after Igor Rossi and Alim Ozturk both left the club last week, while Callum Paterson is a long-term absentee. Aaron Hughes and Lennard Sowah have both been recruited, but they are still light in central defence.