Christophe Berra’s future is again the subject of speculation this morning with claims he could return to his former club Hearts as part of a swap deal with Scotland international right-back Callum Paterson, who is currently sidelined with a long-term injury, moving in the opposite direction.

According to the Scottish Sun Berra is “desperate” to move on from Town and rejoin his hometown club where he started his career.

Town are said to be willing to allow him to return to Tynecastle if Paterson were to move in the opposite direction, despite the 22-year-old, whose contract is up in the summer, being out for 10 months having undergone surgery on cruciate ligament injury last week.

Prior to suffering the injury at the end of December, Paterson had turned down new terms with Hearts and was keen on a move to England with West Ham reportedly set to make a move for him in January.

Born in London but brought up near Edinburgh, Paterson, who has won five full Scotland caps in addition to appearances at U18, U19 and U21 levels, came through the youth system at Tynecastle and made his senior debut as a 17-year-old.

It’s not the first time there have been reports that Berra could move back to Hearts during the January transfer window.

Town manager Mick McCarthy recently dismissed a claim that the Blues were in talks to settle the final six months of Berra’s contract to allow him to return to the SPL side.

“That is just ridiculous,” McCarthy said, speaking 10 days ago. “Have you seen how many players we’ve had recently, the squad and the substitutes we’ve had? And I would be settling up Christophe Berra’s contract, who has played every single game? 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 added: “We’ve got an option on him to sign him [for a further year], 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, he’s arguably been our best defender for the last four years.

“He’s certainly been one of the top ones and has consistently played. He’s staying here as far as I’m concerned.”

Town are currently short of central defenders with Adam Webster out for the season with an ankle injury and Tommy Smith not expected to return to match action until mid-February after back surgery, although he returned to full training earlier in the week.

However, former Newcastle central defender Steven Taylor, 31, has been training with the club this week with a view to winning a contract having left MLS side the Portland Timbers in December.

Despite McCarthy having dismissed the previous link, Berra has said he intends to return to Scotland at some stage.

Speaking in September, he said: “I’ve had a great time down here and as I’ve said before my daughter is four and at some point I’d want to go back home.

“That’s obvious — all my family and friends are there — but at the moment I’m enjoying my football. Ipswich have been good to me and hopefully I can repay them.”

Photo: TWTD

LimitlessBlue added 09:41 - Jan 26 A swap dea with a crocked player, that is an ITFC type deal! Perfect....
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BlueHarwich added 09:42 - Jan 26 You couldn't make it up!
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Mr_Evans added 09:46 - Jan 26 I'd actually like this. Berra is passed it and has been so so poor this season. Paterson is a very good footballer and has great experience for a player so young. He may be out for some time but with season essentially over he'd have all summer to regain fitness and would be in contention for first team football come August/September.
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MickMillsTash added 09:46 - Jan 26 Looks like he will be going in the summer and with Webster a crock - we should open up dialogue with Chambers on a new contract
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Mr_Evans added 09:49 - Jan 26 If it's a straight swap deal, his wages would be no more than £6-8,000 a week. Come the time he's got we'd have paid out approx £200,000 in wages. For a player who was valued at £5m not so long ago.
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whosroundisitanyway added 09:49 - Jan 26 Is it true Town are changing their name to Holby City??!
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KiwiBlue2 added 09:53 - Jan 26 Plumbing new depths if the report is accurate. How can we be confident that Paterson will completely recover without the risk of ongoing issues with that type of injury. As it stands we hopefully get Tommy back on the field mid February and we have Chambo, Berra, Diggers and maybe Taylor with Webster back next season. Will need left sided CB to compete with Tommy if Berra goes rather than another right back to compete with Spence (who looks worth signing) and Emmanuel. Will be very interested to see how it all pans out. Does Hearts by any chance have a quality central midfielder who coukld impose himself in the Championship......?

0

Northern_Blue81 added 09:53 - Jan 26 Good player obviously injured until next season. He would be in a back 4 with Webster which is no bad thing. In saying this typical MM signing as he can play right back, midfield and striker.....
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ITFCFan added 09:55 - Jan 26 Probably sounds daft but this could end up being a very good coup and deal, If Berra wants out and we can get Paterson back fit and playing how he was we could end up with a very good RB who was on the verge of signing for a premiership side, He also scores a lot of goals, He scored 10 in 25 and 39 in total while at Hearts before getting injured that's better than any of our strikers have got. Bring Taylor in and I think its a potential winner!!

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TR11BLU added 09:56 - Jan 26 Regardless of any swap (madness for a long term crock) Berra needs to go, liability of the first order this season. Must be top of assist league for us....goals against of course. Dino out
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muccletonjoe added 09:57 - Jan 26 Perhaps mm has no say iver transfers anymore. He said this would not happen
1

OwainG1992 added 09:58 - Jan 26 If we can agree a swap for the summer do it.
2

blueblood66 added 09:59 - Jan 26 is it April Ist Phil?
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DoobDude added 10:03 - Jan 26 I've never heard of a club buying a player who has a cruciate ligament injury. How do you get insurance or do a medical for other potential problems. I think the Paterson part is nonsense but expect to see Berra leave.
3

MattinLondon added 10:04 - Jan 26 If there was a gain of truth in this then logically the deal could be done at the end of the season. The Town medical staff could keep an eye of his progress and Berra could well be a rejuvenated player if he knew for sure that he was leaving come the summer.
3

ArnieM added 10:05 - Jan 26 On face of it , its a barmy suggestion, becuase the player is out for the seaosn with Cruciate injury. We could run the risk of him returning to full fitness (he's only 22yrs old), or risk the fact that he might not make it . Schools of thought : 1: We might be prepared to take that risk , had we not been so short of central defensive players anyway. 2: It is clear that Berra is desperate to return home due to family reasons. He will go in the summer. We need to get in another CB at some point. 3: Other alternatives are this new 6ft 6ins non league player we recenty signed can play CB and is no shrinking violet in turning his hand to playing centre half by all accounts. So why not play hi there of needs be ? 4: Tommy Smith is due to return . So a swap deal might NOT BE be so mad a thought after all !

3

cornishblu added 10:06 - Jan 26 ...this one is interesting and will split opinion ......form back posts you will know that I have believ for a long time that Berra,s style of football creates him as a liability and going forward we know he is gone .......so to swap him for a player that may well be injured but is young and has potential would seem reasonably sensible business ....none of us moaned when JW came back despite him being injured ....and as has been said this would then force MM to play Chambers in his preferred position of CB .....again forcing MM to then use a RB in the right position ...for me if this was the only outcome it would be money well spent A fully fit Patterson, Webster, kenlock and smith as a back four is young, progressive and bodes well for next year ...providing we do enough not to keep having to look over our shoulders COYB

6

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 10:09 - Jan 26 I'm not a betting man, and I certainly wouldn't bet on a player who (unfortunately for him) has been out so long with an injury he may never really recover from. This is just paper talk, isn't it? !!! Berra might move, though. That part is possible.
3

iaintaylorx added 10:10 - Jan 26 Or why don't we keep Berra and make a bid for Patterson? We can't keep letting players go and not replace them - especially given our current situation. Look what happened when we didn't replace Murphy... Sorry ArnieM, but that is ridiculous about the new signing! Mick has been blamed all season for playing 'square pegs in round holes' and that would be another poor decision if he was to play Moore and centre half when he make position is a striker!!

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12th_Man added 10:15 - Jan 26 This is a joke right............
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Michael11 added 10:18 - Jan 26 This deal may have had some substance if Webster wasn't injured for the season. Why on earth would we allow Berra to go when the lad being mentioned, Smith and Webster are all out. Absolutely nothing in this link.
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brian_a_mul added 10:19 - Jan 26 Better get Chambo on a new deal ASAP, he will be our only fit senior CD if Berra moves on. Chambo and Smith were a very good and well balanced duo in the middle of defense. Based on Berras form, I think Chambo and Smith together would not weaken the side. The good news is it looks as if Chambos days at RB are at an end!! :) Paterson is a good player and unfortunately if Ipswich want to get him before any bigger clubs than we must take the risk while he is injured. Jordan Spense and Josh have the RB spot covered. If Paterson returns to top form post injury he will make us a better team. If Berra wants to return to him home, fair enough, lets get the best deal we can get.

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ArnieM added 10:23 - Jan 26 iantaylorix: That suggestion was meant in the short term only . The player HAS played a good CB by all accounts. And when Smith is fot it would be Smith : Chambers for remainder of the seaon. Cant see a problem tbh
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ArnieM added 10:24 - Jan 26 Berras form I feel is intrinsically linked to his curent family issues. He WILL leave us probably in the summer . Cant see Town forcing him to stay .
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Pencilpete added 10:24 - Jan 26 First of all Berra has been a fantastic player for us, i do think though at 32 now he has lost a yard of pace which means he does get caught out more than he did, i don't think theres any more to his lesser performances than that and in the SPL where the general standard is not so good he'll probably do a good job for a couple of years which is what he wants to do before he packs it in. While there is a risk with Paterson's injury he has a really good reputation and if he was fit i can imagine we'd be quite a way down the list for him so is it so bad to take a punt when he won't cost us anything (assuming this swap deal is correctly reported) ?? personally, i'd do this

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