Ryan Porteous has refused to change the way he plays despite comments from Hibernian boss Lee Johnson stating the centre-back had been "targeted" in Scottish football.
In-demand Hibs defender is locked in a contract stand off with his current deal expiring next summer and is free to speak to any interested clubs in January. But Porteous insists he's not going to let any outside noise affect his decision whether he will extend his time with his boyhood club or move on elsewhere.
Porteous was accused of "blatant cheating" last month by Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin which resulted in the Pittodrie boss being handed an eight match touchline ban, which he has since launched an appeal against. Asked if he would let critics decide his next move he replied: “Definitely, definitely not. There's been a target on my back for a long time. It's never changed the way I play. Obviously, you learn and develop but it's not going to change my on-pitch personality or things like that. So no, it's not something which is ultimately going to influence my decision.”
Porteous also addressed his future with the Easter Road club keen to tie the centre-back down on a long-term deal. Hibs owner Ron Gordon recently admitted the Leith side had made the Scotland cap a "significant offer" however talks are yet to progress any further with Porteous remaining calm and waiting until the World Cup break to access his options.
“There's been no update since the last time I spoke to the press,” the 23-year-old told Edinburgh Evening News. “We made that quite clear to Hibs that I'll just be focusing on my football for now. When there's a break before Christmas then we could potentially re-evaluate it then.”
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