Saints legend MacLean leaves Tynecastle amid mass exodus

St Johnstone legend Steven MacLeanandAustraliainternational Oliver Bozanic will lead a 15-player exodus at Hearts this morning.

Both stars’ contracts expired yesterday and owner Ann Budge has indicated the club are in no position to offer extensions amid the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 crisis.

Clevid Dikamona – despite suggestions he had already departed after choosing not to accept a pay cut in March – officially left yesterday along with youngsters Jay Nwanze and Brodie Strang.

January signings Donis Avdijaj and Marcel Langer, who both failed miserably to make an impact after being snapped up by head coach Daniel Stendel, will be released when their short-term deals end on June 9, along with loan stars Ryo Meshino, Joel Periera and Toby Sibbick.

Youngsters Daniel Baur, Alex Petkov, Kelby Mason, Dean Ritchie and Rory Currie will also exit in the coming days.

The departures are expected to be officially confirmed by the Jambos in the next 24 hours.

Hearts, however, remain locked in talks with Jamie Brandon, Lewis Moore and Euan Henderson, who will be out of contract this summer.

Hearts would forfeit any right to compensation for the homegrown players – who have made a combined 83 senior appearances – unless they table new deals and, as a result, are expected to do so in the coming weeks.

Club captain Peter Hartley and full-back Richard Tait are among the players leaving Motherwell this summer.

The club also confirmed goalkeeper Mark Gillespie would be departing as expected, along with midfielder Christian Ilic and forward Christy Manzinga, who both made a limited impact in their sole campaigns at Fir Park.

Striker Tony Watt signed a contract on Friday while the future of Charles Dunne is under discussion.