Christophe Berra is set to leave Hearts at the end of the season as the former Wolves man begins to prepare for an emotional exit.
The defender is a Jambos hero, current captain of the club, having made 229 appearances over a combined 11 years at the club. Berra has also won the Scottish Cup with Hearts alongside lengthy spells with Ipswich Town and Wolves.
Now 36, Berra has 39 Scotland caps to his name. The centre-back came through the Hearts academy before going on to forge a decade-long career in the English Premier League and EFL with Wolves and Ipswich Town.
He returned to Tynecastle in 2017, where he won the 2017/18 Players’ Player and Fans’ Player of the Year awards and was also named in the PFA Scottish Premiership Team of the Year. Last season, Berra spent a brief spell on loan at Dundee during Daniel Stendel’s Tynecastle reign.
Current manager and former teammate Robbie Neilson has paid tribute to Berra’s accomplishments ahead of his exit in May: “I’ve been fortunate enough to play alongside Christophe as well as manage him and he has been a great servant to this club.
“You don’t play more than 250 first team games without being a top player and there will be an opportunity for him to add to that number before this season is out. He’ll remain focused and continue to give his all as we look to get the Championship title clinched, then we can look back and appreciate all that he has done for this club.”