Exclusive: Hearts explain the situation they must avoid with Lawrence Shankland as transfer issue comes into focus

Talks are due between player and club at the end of the season

In order to prevent history repeating itself, Hearts will consider selling top goalscorer Lawrence Shankland if they receive an acceptable offer over the coming months. Club officials are eager to avoid the scenario where their captain’s contract runs down and he leaves for free, as winger Josh Ginnelly did last summer. They are aware of interest in Shankland from Scotland, England and abroad.

So far, there have been no official bids submitted for the 28-year-old, who was named PFA Scotland Player of the Year on Sunday after 29 goals in 48 games for club and country so far this season. Hearts want to keep Shankland and twice offered him a new contract earlier this year. He did not sign and is now about to enter the final 12 months of his current deal - which means Hearts must look at a transfer in order to maximise his value if a new contract is not agreed.

The striker will hold talks with the Tynecastle Park hierarchy about his future at the end of the season. He is expected to feature for Scotland at the European Championship in Germany before reporting back to Riccarton for pre-season training. Hearts valued him in the £5m bracket when speculation on his future mounted during the January transfer window. That figure is unlikely to drop significantly even with a year left on his contract because Shankland’s goals could help earn the Edinburgh club that amount if they qualify for European league-stage football again next season.

Shankland has stated he would never disrespect what Hearts have done for his career since he arrived from the Belgian club Beerschot two years ago. He also admitted he would consider a move, saying: “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.” The Tynecastle management are relaxed about the situation but are determined to avoid losing their biggest asset for free in a year’s time.

Head coach Steven Naismith explained Hearts’ position in detail to the Edinburgh News today. “I experienced it not so long ago myself,” he said. “You are in a team sport environment, it’s a passionate sport, it’s people’s lives. Some of the fans and people who are part of the Foundation, Hearts is the biggest thing in their lives. It means everything to them. I’ve seen that at different clubs.

“It’s hard to see things from a player’s point of view at times: That person’s individual goals and what drives them. Inevitably it’s family and trying to do as much as you can in your career. One thing you don’t want to do when you retire is say: ‘I wish I’d done this or that.’ Because you are never getting that time back. It’s like no other job in the world. Your body is your tools and your asset. When it eventually goes and your time is up, you aren’t getting it back.

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“If Shanks left tomorrow for whatever reason, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like Hearts or he hasn’t had a fantastic time here. Arguably, he has played his best stuff at Hearts but it’s football. We have him contracted for another year so we have an element of control as a club. I’m sure Shanks will be as professional as he has been through all of this and will do what is right for him.

“If that is signing a new contract then he will look to do that. If it’s not, then it’s not. Nobody can grudge Shanks taking his time, having an understanding of what he wants to do and making sure he makes the right choice for him and his family. That’s where it is. Not much has changed from January or last summer.

“He has a year left and the club will have a decision to make in terms of the bigger picture. We need to look ahead. We can’t have situations every year like Josh Ginnelly, where he comes to the end of his contract and we can’t do anything about it. You have got to value him: What’s the worth of keeping a player for that last year? Is there an offer there? Does he want to sign a new contract? All these factors come in.

“There is a real calmness within the club about it all. There is an understanding of all the variations that can happen. One thing is for sure, as long as Shanks is here he will give one 100 per cent and he will lead by example as he has done all season.”

Shankland is the first Hearts man ever to win Player of the Year from his fellow professionals at the end of a strong season for the Edinburgh club. They reached the semi-finals of both the League Cup and Scottish Cup, but their biggest achievement is finishing third in the Premiership. That secures guaranteed European league-stage football this autumn in either the Europa League or Conference League, plus an extra £5m income from UEFA.

Shankland’s goals, performances and leadership have been hugely instrumental. “Two things highlight how big the Player of the Year achievement is,” remarked Naismith. “Firstly, it’s a non-Old Firm player. He is also the first Hearts player ever to win it. That shows you how well we have done this season and how much Shanks has been a leader. In big moments he has scored big goals, like earlier on the in the season when we weren’t playing free-flowing football and things weren’t as in-sync as they are now.

“He was front and centre, leading the players and driving them through. The award will highlight the goals he has scored but we have seen day-to-day the amount of work he has put in behind the scenes for the team in general. We obviously value that a lot. It is a great achievement.

“To have a season like this on the back of last season is brilliant. I think a lot of folk last summer would have thought: ‘Mmmm, can he hit the same form and the same kind of numbers?’ I don’t think a lot of people expected him to continue and progress the way he has. That’s all down to hard work every day. Then, when the pressure is on and there’s a full crowd, Shanks thrives on those moments.”

After 28 goals in his first campaign in maroon, Shankland is looking to break the 30 barrier with three games left this term. Again, he has struck 28 times for Hearts to date, with one goal for Scotland taking him to 29. Naismith feels achieving those numbers consistently over the seasons ahead is the next challenge for the forward.

“The next level is him continuing to do what he is doing. Each year, he will naturally be better because he is a year older. He has seen quite a lot in the game now he is getting towards 29. He will have a calmness in big moments because that’s just what comes with experience. I think it’s just about keeping that level of consistency.

“Shanks will want to be successful individually. I think he will have goals for what he wants to do as a player in terms of lifting silverware. That’s the kind of thing that will keep him going. I don’t think he will overthink it. He won’t be thinking he needs to change a lot in his game. The best players in the world do it season after season after season. Inevitably, that’s the challenge.”

Exclusive: Hearts explain situation they must avoid with Lawrence Shankland as transfer issue comes into focus