West Brom miss out on international striker as new deal ends long-running contract saga
The 29-year-old Scotland forward looked to be on his way out of Tynecastle after several rounds of negotiations over the past 18 months failed to result in an agreement
Hearts have confirmed that skipper Lawrence Shankland has committed his future to the club by penning a new three-year deal.
The 29 year old Scotland striker, who has notched up an impressive 68 goals since joining from Belgian outfit Beerschot three years ago, seemed set to leave Tynecastle after protracted talks over the last 18 months hadn’t led to a renewal.
Yet, after his contract ran out this summer and he weighed up his options, Shankland was convinced by newly-appointed gaffer Derek McInnes to stay on as the team’s top earner.
That ends the long-running saga that had seen Shankland linked with a move to West Brom.
Shankland jetted off to Spain on Wednesday night to join the Hearts squad at their pre-season camp, and the Jambos revealed on Thursday afternoon that he has inked a deal until 2028, drawing a line under the drawn-out contract negotiations.
“Lawrence’s not only been ingrained in the club the last few years, he’s been a big player for the club, knows his way about the Premiership, knows his way to goal,” McInnes expressed on the Hearts website.
“It just made so much sense on so many levels for me. I’ve known Lawrence since he was a young boy and I know how important family is to him and how important being happy is.
“I always felt that that was a huge advantage for us. Not only does he enjoy his time at Hearts, those family connections are always very strong.”
Shankland made a splash in his debut season with Hearts, becoming the first player in 31 years to net over 20 goals for the club and then smashing in 31 goals in the 2023-24 season.
His stellar performance won him every Scottish Premiership Player of the Year award going and landed him a spot in Scotland’s squad for Euro 2024.
The ex-Ayr and Dundee United striker had a tougher time finding the back of the net in his most recent season and faced criticism from some fans after missing a crucial Conference League penalty against Cercle Brugge in November. However, he ended on a high, scoring five times in his last five games, leaving fans hopeful he might stay at Tynecastle.
Keeping their top scorer of the 21st century is a major win for Hearts as they enter an exciting new chapter in partnership with Jamestown Analytics and with Brighton owner Tony Bloom as a minority investor.
