Hearts chief addresses Rangers-Celtic Lawrence Shankland links and updates on sporting director search
Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay has brushed off the ongoing transfer speculation linking Lawrence Shankland with a move to either Rangers or Celtic.
The Scotland striker is rumoured to have been on Rangers' radar since January with reports indicating that he is on a list of priority targets for the Ibrox club this summer.
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Hide AdFresh speculation also emerged this week claiming that Celtic are considering an offer for the Hearts captain, who has scored 59 times across two seasons at the club since joining from Belgian side Beerschot in 2022.


Shankland is entering the final year of his contract and will be able to speak to clubs in January over a pre-contract agreement and the propsect of making a free transfer next summer. Hearts have also offered a deal to Shankland in the hope of retaining his services, but the 29-year-old has given no indication that he will sign an extension.
McKinlay confirmed that Hearts have yet to receive any offers for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year as he laughed off the seemingly never-ending transfer gossip surrounding the Tynecastle striker.
Speaking to Hearts TV, he said: "Is that still being talked about, is it? Yeah, it's amazing that as we come up to play Rangers in the first game of the season that Lawrence is linked with a move to Rangers... although I see this week he's now been linked with a move to Celtic!
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Hide Ad"Look, as we sit here now, it's still the case that we've had no offers. We've not even had any notes of inquiry or anything to do with Lawrence. As we sit here, Lawrence is very much a Hearts player and as far as I'm concerned, will remain a Hearts player, unless or until an appropriate offer comes in. Lawrence is very much part of our plans for the coming season and I hope it remains that way."
McKinlay also provided an update on Hearts' search for a new sporting director following the surprise departure of Joe Savage last month following three-and-a-half-years in the role.
"Quite an emotional conversation in some ways," McKinley added. "Joe just decided at the end of last season that he'd been here three-and-a-half years and wanted to leave on a high. He's not moved to go anywhere else. He's going to take some time out and have some thoughts on what the next stage in his career is.
"I worked closely with Joe over that period, enjoyed working with him and wish him all the best as he moves on to whatever he ends up doing in the future.
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Hide Ad"Up the road (Oriam) is in a good place. All the people who reported into Joe, we've got some good people up there and I am currently looking at bringing someone else in to oversee things up at Oriam and hopefully be able to give a bit more of an update on that in early course."
McKinlay also confirmed that Hearts are still active in the transfer market with the club hoping to seal deals for Crystal Palace midfielder Malachi Boateng and Colombian left-back Andres Salazar.
"We are still working on a couple of things at the moment, both ins and outs," he said.
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