Two-year Chinese contract for Hearts hero Ryan McGowan

Ryan McGOWAN has 
completed his move from Hearts to Chinese side 
Shandong Luneng, and it has been revealed that the 
Australian has signed a 
lucrative two-year deal.

The deal is set to earn Hearts around £400,000, including add-ons, for a player whose contract at Tynecastle was due to expire in the summer.

Reports that McGowan would only be signing a ten-month deal with the Chinese Super League outfit have proved to be wide of the mark and must cast doubt on the idea of a move to Rangers once the Ibrox club’s transfer embargo is lifted in September.

Rangers had held unsuccessful talks with the 23-year-old on August 31 last year – the last day before their embargo kicked in – and manager Ally McCoist revealed recently that he hadn’t given up on signing the Australian. He said: He said: “He’s a good player. Ryan is a player we obviously tried to get earlier.

“He’s like everybody else, we keep a completely open mind and we monitor players who we have been watching and we will continue to do that.

“I would absolutely rule 
nothing out.”

McGowan’s deal will see him earn more significantly money than he could currently hope to earn on British soil.

Shandong manager Radomir Antic confirmed: “We have not signed him for just ten months. He has signed a two-year 
contract.”

McGowan flew out to China at the tail end of last week, so was unable to feature in the goalless Edinburgh derby against 
Hibs at Tynecastle on 
Thursday. As a result, his last outing in a Hearts jersey – 
for the time being, at least – will go down as the 1-0 defeat at 
Kilmarnock on Boxing Day.