Scotland captain Andy Robertson expects clarity on his Liverpool future by the time he heads off to the World Cup in the summer.
Robertson is out of contract at the end of the season and could potentially call time on a glittering nine-year stay at Anfield.
The 32-year-old left-back, who has found game time limited this season at club level, insists he wants his future sorted prior to leading his country into a first World Cup finals in 28 years.
‘Will I make a decision before the World Cup? Yeah, that will definitely happen,’ said Robertson, who will captain Scotland against Japan at Hampden on Saturday.
‘For me, I will make up my mind before the summer and it’s always been in my head that I don’t want it hanging over me.
‘I think that’s important, I don’t think anyone wants that and everyone would be in the same boat.
‘If you’re out of contract and sign a new contract, or whatever you’re doing – you always want that sorted before you go into a big tournament.
‘I have always worked towards and have been consistent with. It’s only eight or nine weeks, so from now until the end I’ll sit down with my family and see what we want.’
Robertson is likely to have plenty of options available down south and a potential return to his boyhood club Celtic has even been mooted.
‘It’s not really one to talk about,’ he said when asked about links to the Parkhead club. ‘Obviously I was at Celtic as a kid and had a season ticket, that’s not a secret.
‘But it’s not something I really want to get into. The options that are on the table for me at the minute will stay private and that’s the way I’ve always done it.
‘People can talk and there’s been a lot of talk around it, where I’m going to go next. I’ve seen it but I stay away from it all now.’
Robertson insists there is a desire among the Scotland squad to give the supporters something to shout about in the summer when they head to America.
The Tartan Army will travel in their thousands for the games against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in Boston and Miami.
Several supporters’ groups have already hit out as the astronomical ticket prices as well as the cost of travel and accommodation.
‘It’s expensive, we have all our families and friends paying silly money to come and watch us,’ said Robertson. ‘It’s something we can’t control obviously.
‘The gaffer has been consistent in saying people shouldn’t put themselves into massive amounts of debt to come over.
‘The people who are going over to America, making long journeys and paying a lot of money to be there – we always appreciate the support.
‘Our away ends are always full, we always the best-supported team at tournaments. The numbers going over will be big. We know that and never take it for granted.
‘We just hope we can give them something to shout about and give them days to remember.’
