Mckinlay reveals why Hearts won’t break the bank for Shankland

Chief executive Andrew Mckinlay has outlined the perils of breaking the bank to tie Lawrence Shankland down on a new contract at Hearts.

The 28-year-old Scotland forward has scored 46 goals in a season and a half with the Jambos and his future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months, with Rangers

and several English clubs linked with a move.

Shankland is contracted to Hearts until the summer of 2025 and the Tynecastle club have begun talks aimed at extending his deal.

However, Mckinlay cautioned that Hearts cannot simply throw a huge amount of money at keeping the striker because it could open the floodgates for increased wage demands from other players.

"As of today, we've had no interest, either formally or informally, expressed in Lawrenceandwearenotencouraging any interest in Lawrence," Mckinlay told Hearts TV.

"As has been documented, we have made an offer to Lawrence. He is already in the high paid bracket within the club we have various brackets for players - but we've made him an additional offer and that's gone to him and that remains on the table for him to consider.

"We'll get some people saying we should pay him whatever he wants and I understand that. But I've got to look at things both in the immediate here and now and also in the future.

"So if you do absolutely break a wage structure or break the bank or whatever you want to say, everyone will suddenly knowhowmuchyou'repaying. Anything we do now can have repercussions in the future. But as we sit here, Lawrence remains a Hearts player.”