Callum Paterson has shut down any notion of a return to Hearts this summer, and says his heart is set on trying to help an English Championship side win promotion to the Premier League.
The versatile player, who scored 38 goals in 158 games for the Jambos between 2012 and 2017, looks sets to depart Sheffield Wednesday at the expiration of his contract on June 30, despite helping them win promotion back to the second tier at Wembley on Monday afternoon.
Paterson was heavily linked with a move back to Tynecastle in January, but the deal fell apart after the two clubs failed to agree on a fee. The Scotland international previously spent three years with Cardiff City after leaving Gorgie, and scored four goals in 28 appearances in the 2018/19 season in the Premier League.
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Although he will be a free agent at the end of the month, Paterson believes he still has a lot to offer to teams in the English Championship, and appeared to rule out a return to boyhood club Hearts.
Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield he said: "Ah, you never know. We'll see what happens.
"I've always said I want to be back in the Championship. Hearts are a massive club to me, in my personal life, they mean a lot to me, but I want to be back in the Championship and I want to try and win promotion to the Premier League again.
"So it would be nice to be involved. We'll see what happens."
Interim manager Steven Naismith is set to discover his Tynecastle fate very soon, and will want to start adding to his squad ahead of the 2023/24 season if he is successful in landing the permanent gig.
The Jambos missed out on third place in the Premiership to Aberdeen, but will play in Europe for a second consecutive season having booked their place in qualifying for the UEFA Europa Conference League with their fourth place finish.
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