Christophe Berra: Hearts captain 'hurt' after being told he can leave club
Tuesday 7 January 2020 16:15, UK
Hearts captain Christophe Berra says he is "hurt and angry" after being told he can leave the club.
Berra, 34, had been a fixture for the Scottish Premiership side in recent seasons but was dropped by new manager Daniel Stendel in December.
Despite having 18 months left on his current Hearts deal, Berra has been told he can leave the club on loan or permanently.
"It came out the blue," Berra said.
"I just got married on Friday and then on Sunday I'm getting told I'm not involved any more.
"It did hurt, I'm not going to lie. I've done a lot for this club. I know it's football, I know how it works, but I don't think anyone represents the club better than me.
"It's one man's opinion. There are other ways to go about it but I'm not going to throw the toys out the pram.
"I asked that question to the manager [as to whether his decision was financially motivated] but haven't got a straightforward answer."
Berra's imminent departure comes after veteran midfielder Glenn Whelan was released from his contract by mutual consent, as Stendel continues to overhaul his squad.
Meanwhile, Hearts have confirmed the appointment of Jorg Sievers as assistant manager until 2022, with the German having previously worked with Stendel at Hannover.
