Hearts may contemplate moving top goalscorer Lawrence Shankland in the upcoming months if they receive a reasonable offer in an effort to stop history from happening again. Officials at the club are keen to prevent what happened to winger Josh Ginnelly last summer, when his contract expired and he left for free. They know that Scotland, England, and other countries are interested in Shankland.
The 28-year-old, who was awarded PFA Scotland Player of the Year on Sunday after scoring 29 goals in 48 outings for his club and country this season, has not yet received any formal proposals. Shankland was twice extended a contract by the Hearts earlier this year, showing their desire to keep him. He did not sign, and since he is about to enter the last 12 months of his present contract, Hearts will need to consider a transfer if a new contract cannot be reached in order to maximise his value.
After the season, the striker is expected to meet with the Tynecastle Park hierarchy to discuss his future. He is expected to play for Scotland at the European Championship in Germany before returning to Riccarton for pre-season training. Hearts valued Shankland at around £5 million when rumours about his future began to circulate during the January transfer window. Even with a year remaining on his contract, that amount is unlikely to drop much because Shankland’s goals could help earn the Edinburgh club that amount if they qualify for European league-stage football once more.
Since joining Hearts two years ago from the Belgian club Beerschot, Shankland has declared he will never undervalue the contributions Hearts have made to his career. “It would be nice to kick on, see how far I can go in the game, try to play at a higher level than this,” he said, acknowledging that he would think about making a move. Though unfazed by the circumstances, Tynecastle management is committed to keeping their most valuable asset intact for a year.
