Johnny Russell insists he is 100% focused on finishing the season with a flourish and is determined not to be distracted by speculation over his future.
Dundee United’s prize asset found himself at the centre of a transfer storm last month when the club accused the player’s agent of trying to manufacture a move for Russell away from Tannadice.
Serie A side Catania had lodged bids for the striker which fell well below United’s valuation and while the 22-year-old will not be signing a contract extension, he stressed that he was happy at the club and was simply concentrating on his rehabilitation from a broken leg sustained against Inverness at the end of February.
That injury looked like being a season-ending one but Russell has battled back against the odds and is just desperate to play a part in the Tangerines’ three remaining fixtures, starting against St Johnstone in the Tayside derby.
Russell admitted that the wise words of manager Jackie McNamara had been a big help in what has been a turbulent few weeks.
Russell said: “The gaffer has been through transfer speculation before and he’s just spoken to me about how to handle it. It’s not really come into my head too much.
“The most important thing for me was getting back fit and I’m nearly there, so fingers crossed I can get the last three games of the season.
“It’s always good to hear clubs are interested in you because it shows you are doing something right, but, at the end of the day, it’s Dundee United’s decision if they accept anything.
“Until that day, I’m a Dundee United player. I hope it doesn’t turn ugly and I don’t think it would. If anything does happen, I just want it to be the best for all parties.
“Honestly, the most important thing for me is to get back and get some goals or game time. At the time, I thought my season would be over, so I am just happy to get back.”
Incredibly, Russell played through the pain barrier after sustaining the injury at Inverness, staying on the pitch for another 20 minutes before having to come off.
The striker was though still determined to play in the derby against Dundee the following weekend and even underwent a fitness test before he was finally sent for an X-ray which revealed he had a broken fibula.
He added: “From the moment I sustained the injury, I’ve been wanting back as quick as I can.
“I even tried to play through it in the beginning because it is hard to watch. The medical team have been okay with it and it’s been down to whether or not I feel pain and whether I can manage it.
“I played 20 minutes more in the game and it was agony the day after. On the Saturday afterwards, I had a fitness test and it was still sore.
“I asked the physio if he could give me until the Sunday to try and play in the Dundee game. I went running on the golf course at Drumoig and tried a little ball work but it was far too sore, so I missed out.
“It was decided I would go for an X-ray on the Monday and it was a bit of a shock when we found it was fractured.”
Russell was in a rich vein of scoring form before the injury, and he believes the influence of the new managerial team of boss Jackie McNamara and his assistants Simon Donnelly and Darren Jackson, was an integral reason for his hot streak.
He added: “I had a poor goalscoring season until the gaffer came in, when I got six in five and I was buzzing. I was enjoying my football again and then that (the injury) happened. It just takes it all away, really.”