Talks over a new deal between Hearts and Lawrence Shankland are still ongoing.
Hearts are “definitely not close” to getting Lawrence Shankland a new deal, according to Ann Budge.
The Jambos launched an effort to try and hold onto their star player in January after multiple stories surfaced tying him to other teams. They offered the 28-year-old a contract that would make him their highest paid player in ten years. Still, it wasn’t enough to get him to sign.
He stayed with the team past the cutoff point despite the rumors that negotiations for a new contract would be reopened and that no serious offers seemed to materialize. The talented number nine, who has scored 27 goals so far this season, has a contract that expires in the summer of 2025, but the Tynecastle club would prefer to extend it.
Although the chairwoman acknowledges that nothing is quite finalized, the conversations will go on.
Budge stated to PLZ Soccer that it’s not quite close. Not at all. Lawrence has a lot of control over the remaining eighteen months of his contract, at most. As a young guy, he is considering his job options.
He’s been great for us, and hopefully we’ve been doing the same for him. We’re still in communication, and we really hope he stays.
But as we all know, he’s a man in demand. And that, in my opinion, will only rise. In the end, he will make the decision.”
