Steven Naismith reveals Hearts' stance on Lawrence Shankland amid Rangers talk and transfer value

SNS Group

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith today made clear the club’s stance on captain Lawrence Shankland following reported interest from Rangers. Tynecastle officials have not received any offers for the striker and have no intention of selling him at a reduced price despite his contract entering its final 12 months.

Rangers have monitored Shankland for the past year but are yet to make contact with Hearts regarding a transfer bid. The Edinburgh club want their top goalscorer to stay and commit his future to them. They offered him a new contract in January, followed by an improved proposal two weeks later, but he has so far resisted the opportunity to sign.

Shankland’s goalscoring record reads 59 goals in 94 club games since joining Hearts from the Belgian side Beerschot in summer 2022. He became the first player to score 30 times in a season since the legendary John Robertson and is viewed as the biggest asset in Gorgie.

The Tynecastle hierarchy value him in the £4m to £5m bracket and Naismith sees no reason why that will change despite the player’s current contract running down. Should Shankland stay and score goals to help Hearts secure European league-stage football again this season, that achievement would be worth around £5m in extra income from UEFA. That prospect helps dictate Shankland’s market value.

“That’s exactly it,” explained Naismith, speaking exclusively to the Edinburgh News. “At every club in Scotland, every player has a value. It doesn’t always sit with the general rule of thumb, where a player’s contract is running down so they have lost a lot of value in terms of what the club could receive.

“Scotland is slightly different because of the finances in general in Scottish football. On top of that, the financial rewards of getting into Europe are so great that, if you have an asset who is going to help you do that, then that adds value. That’s simply it. For us, there is no change at all from where it was last summer or from where it was in January.”

Shankland reported back to Riccarton for pre-season training earlier this month following international duty with Scotland at the European Championship. He took part in a closed-door friendly against Burnley on Saturday and is scheduled to be involved in this Saturday’s friendly at Fleetwood Town. Speculation over his future does not seem to have affected the 28-year-old.

“Shanks has been fine. He’s been training no problem,” said Naismith. “Him and Kenneth [Vargas], and even Gerald [Taylor], have only had a couple of weeks off after international duty. You don’t look at them and think they look so unfit because it’s such a short time. Players miss two weeks for a tight calf or a tight hamstring, then they are back and it’s fine.

“This is very much the same and that’s where they are. It’s just about them getting their sharpness, really. They hadn’t kicked a ball for two weeks but over the course of a week to 10 days that will come back. The boys who have been on international duty have come back looking good.”