HEARTS captain Christophe Berra says that he understands the emotional pull Rangers will have on Tynecastle striker Kyle Lafferty, after his manager Craig Levein admitted that a £200,000 bid from the Ibrox club had turned the Northern Irishman’s head.

The offer was summarily booted out, but Berra has first-hand experience of how much of a draw it can be for a player to return to a club that holds happy memories for him, as he experienced the same lure to Hearts when he came back to Gorgie from Ipswich Town last summer.

When asked if he sympathised with Lafferty’s position, he replied: “Yes I do. I was at Hearts first time and I got linked with moves, it is a factor. It is difficult, but you need to be a strong character.”

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It is that mental fortitude Berra feels will see the forward continue to produce his best form for Hearts no matter what happens away from the field in the coming days and weeks.

“It will be difficult for Kyle, there is no lying there – everyone knows it,” he said.

“It is up to Kyle to be professional and turn up each day for training and give his all. If he does that no one can fault him for that.

“I don’t think he takes life too seriously. He just gets on with it. He will deal with it in his own way. Only time will tell what will happen.”

On the face of it, the void that Lafferty moving on would leave in the Hearts attack would seem a considerable one.

He was the club’s top scorer last season, but with Steven Naismith returning on loan from Norwich City and new arrival Uche Ikpeazu impressing against Inverness on Sunday, he feels his side are equipped to deal with his departure should it come to pass.

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“He scored 17-18 goals last year in all competitions,” said Berra. “But it is between Kyle and the owner what will happen, whether he goes or stays. It will be resolved I am sure – maybe soon, maybe two or three weeks’ time. That’s football.

“I have been in the game long enough, if he does go he will be replaced. People leave clubs. It gives an opportunity for someone to step in and be the next name. He scored his goals here and if he does get a move then good luck to him.

“I don’t know what will happen but it’s part and parcel of football – people come in and they move on. We will always attract good players to Hearts. It is just a chance for someone else to step up and take the opportunity. As you saw [on Sunday], big Uche did.”

Berra’s teammate Naismith hopes Lafferty can be just as excited by the project unfolding at Hearts as the one going at Ibrox under Steven Gerrard.

“Look, Rangers is a fantastic club with a massive crowd and they’re building something that looks very exciting but Hearts are doing the same,” he said.

“We’ve got great people at the top who are running this club fantastically well and they’ve looked after Kyle very well.”