Craig Levein believes Hearts are looking for in excess of £600,000 to sell John Souttar to Rangers this month.
And the former Tynecastle boss and director of football admitted he doubts the veracity of claims the player was injured for the Scottish Cup tie against Auchinleck Talbot.
Souttar would have been ineligible to play for the Light Blues in the competition should he make the move to Ibrox before the January transfer window closes.
Robbie Neilson revealed after the fourth round tie how the Edinburgh club had booted out a £300,000 bid from the Scottish Premiership champions.
Souttar has signed a pre-contract and will move to Ibrox on a free at the end of the season unless a deal can be thrashed out now.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, Levein said on the fee: “I heard that it’s more than the double the £300,000 offer that Hearts are holding out for. He’s under contract.
“It’s like anything. If you are buying a house then you make your mind up on how much you want to pay.
“Hearts are quite within their rights and if they don’t want to let him go for the money Rangers are offering then John will have to suck it up and play as well as he can until the end of the season.
“I honestly think that if the deal does get done then it will get done at that point and I don’t think Hearts will want to keep a hold of him for one particular match.
“But it’s just about getting to the number they want and if Rangers can’t do that then John will be playing for Hearts until the end of the season.”
And on Souttar’s absence at Beechwood Park Levein said: “It was an ankle injury. That’s what I heard,” but asked if he believed it, the former Hearts boss smiled: “Probably not.”
