Daniel Stendel has claimed he'd be free to walk away from Hearts if the club is relegated from the top flight.
Stendel replaced Craig Levein in December on a two-and-a-half year deal but has struggled to turn things around, with the Jambos four points adrift at the foot of the table when the coronavirus crisis caused the Premiership to grind to a halt.
The German still believes he can salvage their top-flight status if the season gets the green light to resume.
But his future appears in the balance if Hearts are relegated, either on merit or if the SPFL decide to end the season early and condemn them to the drop.
Asked about the option, Stendel said: “The clause is not only on my side, but also from that of the club.
“My goal is to stay up in the league, and the club and I need to decide what is best for the club.
“When we have the chance to finish the league with all 38 games played then I think we will stay up in the league.”
Stendel is currently working without a salary as Hearts seek to mitigate the financial effects of the coronavirus crisis, while all other full-time staff have been told to take a 50 per cent pay cut.
He told Sky Sports: “In a short time at Hearts, in the last four months I feel really special feeling for the club and for Ann Budge and the work here.
“It’s a really special situation for every club in the world and, in the end, we want to make sure Hearts can play football after the coronavirus.”
