Marcus Fraser feels ready to meet a fresh challenge after the Ross County skipper ended his five-and-a-half year stay in Dingwall.
Defender Fraser has turned down a new deal with the Staggies, where he has made 198 appearances following his move from Celtic in 2015.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a successful spell with the Highlanders, winning the League Cup in 2016 before captaining the Staggies to the Championship title and IRN-BRU Cup last year.
Bishopbriggs-born Fraser has decided the time is right for a change of scene however, and he will weigh up his next move in the coming days.
Fraser said: “Ross County offered me a new deal, but I just thought after five great years it’s time for a new challenge.
“There are a couple of things in the pipeline, but I’m still open to a lot of things.
“I’ll weigh everything up, and whatever I think is best for me I’m sure I’ll pick the best situation.
“Hopefully in the next week or so I will know more about that and we can take things forward.
“Until then I will keep myself as fit as possible so that when the fresh challenge comes up, I’ll be ready. I’m going to meet it head on.”
Fraser had made just two first team outings at Celtic, along with a short loan stint with Cowdenbeath, before being brought in by Jim McIntyre in January 2015.
The former Scotland under-21 international feels he has come of age during his spell in the Highlands, adding: “When I first came from Celtic, I had played a couple of senior games but I wasn’t playing week-in, week-out.
“Jim McIntyre and Billy Dodds took a chance on me. They brought me into men’s football and gave me the platform to play every week.
“For the first couple of seasons I thought I did really well, and I showed I was going to be one of the mainstays in the team for a few years to come.
“Winning the League Cup just kicked me on to realise I could play at that level.
“Winning the Championship and the IRN-BRU Cup was massive as well. It was brilliant for my CV to be the captain lifting those trophies.
“I’ve been lucky I’ve been playing week-in, week-out for more or less five years, which has done me the world of good.”
Current Staggies co-managers Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson handed Fraser the armband when Andrew Davies left in 2018, which remains a huge source of personal pride for the defender.
Fraser added: “I was 23, so it was big for me at the time.
“When they first spoke to me about it they backed me with that responsibility and I have enjoyed that role in the team. I’ve been that link between the management and the players.
“Whether I’m captain or not I try and lead by example, and that will never change.”
