HEARTS head coach Ian Cathro has revealed that he has all but given up hope of convincing Scotland star Callum Paterson to sign a new deal at Tynecastle.

The Gorgie outfit yesterday tied up Jack Hamilton, John Souttar and Rory Currie until the summer of 2020, however their injured talisman now appears destined to leave the club when his current contract expires.

Paterson, 22, sustained cruciate knee ligament damage in December and is not expected to return to full fitness until October.

With his deal set to run out in the summer, the promising right-back – who was interesting the likes of Derby and West Ham prior to his injury – looks to have played his last game for Hearts after Cathro confirmed for the first time that Paterson has intimated a desire to leave.

He explained: “I think that [new contract] is an unlikely situation. Callum has been very honest in his dialogue with the club, even before I became involved.

“It probably is the point – and I respect his view on that – for him to take the next step in his career.

“We have suffered the situation we have suffered. It’s a horrible situation for him. It was a moment where most likely the offer was going to be there for him to move and take that next challenge in his career.

“That’s still what he wants to do. I respect that. It’s been an honest dialogue throughout.

“He cares a lot about the people here and to a massive degree for this club. There’s nothing but understanding and respect from both sides. He’s a guy I have a hell of a lot of time for and will support and speak to. We will just manage the situation as best we can.”

While Paterson will technically be a free agent once his contract expires in June, Cathro insists Hearts will continue to oversee his recovery at their Riccarton training base.

The Jambos will also still be due a development fee just shy of £400,000 for any club that signs Paterson – even after he has left the club.

Cathro continued: “The first thing that we need to do is support his recovery and make sure the rehab’s right. He will be a Hearts player until the point where he has fully recovered.

“It’s a duty of care, 100 per cent. That’s the same for everyone. It is also out of massive respect to Callum for the impact and influence that he has had on the team over a period of time.”

While Paterson eyes pastures new, Cathro was visibly buoyed by securing the signatures of Hamilton, Souttar and Currie, lauding the talented trio and insisting the next three and a half years will define their careers.

“I’m pleased. It was a straight-forward process and the right decision for everyone,” he continued. “They see positive things in their futures here, as do we for them. It is a good situation for everyone.

“What they do in the period they are committed to Hearts for will play a big part in how they push forward and how we help them, which is part of our job that we sometimes forget. We want to help players improve and grow.”

Hearts travel to Aberdeen this afternoon seeking to eat into a 14-point chasm between the sides and, in doing so, derail a run of eight successive wins at Pittodrie for the Dons.

He added: “We look to go and deliver a strong performance. I have very strong confidence and belief in our group that if we do the things that we want to do, we can win any game in this league.”

CURRIE, meanwhile, insists he never lost faith in his own ability after bouncing back from his Rangers axe by emerging as one of Hearts’ brightest talents.

The 19-year-old, who was also on the books of Celtic as a schoolboy, admits he was “shocked” to be released by the Ibrox outfit last summer.

However, there was no time to dwell on that disappointment, with former Jambos head coach Robbie Neilson snapping up the promising striker.

Ian Cathro took an immediate shine to the player after arriving at Tynecastle in December, integrating Currie into the first-team squad and handing him six appearances.

And he was yesterday rewarded for his form - including bagging his first goal for the club against Raith Rovers in January - by joining Jack Hamilton and John Souttar in signing new contracts until 2020.

Currie said: “It was quite a shock [to leave Rangers] but as soon as Hearts said they wanted me I came here and I couldn’t have been happier. My confidence didn't go at all. I know my own ability and I kept my head up.

“I never had any doubt I could get to this level and thankfully I’ve pushed on here. Hearts have given me a great opportunity and they believed in me - that’s been the turning point in my career.

“The manager [Cathro] puts me on and he believes in me. He expects me to go on and change the game. I'd say I feel sharper now since I stepped up to the first team. That's the main thing in my performance.

"I've learned quite a lot coming up from the under-20s. It's a lot more sharp and you need to be switched on and focused at all times. Physicality is one big difference, too. When you're coming off the bench you're hoping to make an impact. I just go on and try my hardest for the team.”

Meanwhile, Jayden Stockley has been shunted from pillar to post in his embryonic career which has included loan spells at nine clubs during his less than a decade time with Bournemouth.

Still only 23, the towering striker expected to bed-in as a regular at Aberdeen when Derek McInnes signed in the summer of last year, 18 months after he put pen to paper on a pre-contract.

His frustration at not achieving quite what he set out to do, however, is tempered by an inner confidence which suggests he is happy to bide his time to become one of the first names on the Aberdeen team-sheet.

So far this season, however, he’s managed only seven starts in 20 Ladbrokes Premiership appearances.

He was on it in last week’s home win against Motherwell and it’s likely he’ll be there, too, when Hearts attempt to cause an upset at Pittodrie today and not drop 17 points behind the Dons should they lose.

Stonckley enjoys working under McInnes and compares him favourably with Eddie Howe, the Bournemouth manager who guided his Cinderella outfit to the Premier League south of the border.

His current boss, he reckons, will make him a better player.

"The manager demands intensity,” he insisted, “and no-one can take their foot off the pedal in training and there are no off-days allowed and it shows on the pitch.

"When we do drop points we'll get criticism and it brings the best out of us.

“In games where we haven't done well we know the standards set are very high and we want to achieve what he thinks we can.

"In terms of the training and the pressure he puts on the players he is similar to Eddie Howe.

“I've been at other clubs where it has been more relaxed and it has led to some more lethargic performances in games.

"There are no bad eggs here; no-one sulks if they are on the bench.

“They focus on making an impact when they come on.”

There is a frustration that he cannot force himself to persuade McInnes to make him an ever-present up front but when the team is riding high – as it is just now – the bonhomie in the Pittodrie changing-room makes work a little more bearable.

"If the team wasn't doing well it would be more frustrating,” he said, “but I'm a team player and if we're winning I'm happy.

“I've contributed off the bench in the past couple of months so hopefully I can get a run of games now and show my true form.

"The lads here have such a great work ethic and we all know there is someone in the wings waiting to take our spot so it keeps the pressure on and it is making us a successful team.”

Such camaraderie is palpable on the Pittodrie pitch with Stockley recognising how the players work hard for each other. That has aided their consistency this season and helped them retain second place in the Ladbrokes premiership and a Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibs coming up.

"We've had to grind out some wins recently which shows another side to us,” he said. “We've scored a lot of goals this season but we've won ugly a few times, too, which shows how much we're committed.

"I thought I would have played more games by now and scored a few goals but I hope I can finish the season well and score a few goals as forwards are judged on that.”