Harry: He went through Steven on his first day

BY ALAN MARSHALL HARRY COCHRANE insists Craig Halkett has already made his presence felt at Hearts – by smashing Steven MacLean.

The Jambos kid was a fan of the summer arrival having been dazzled by his displays for Livingston last term as the Lions comfortably secured Premiership survival.

That admiration has only increased after a few weeks training and playing alongside the former Rangers kid.

Cochrane has even been treated to incessant replays of Halkett’s 40-yard screamer against St Johnstone in May.

And he revealed the stopper has wasted no time in illustrating the combative streak and brass neck which made him such an inspirational Livi captain at the age of 21.

Cochrane said: “Halks is a quality player. I know that because keeps showing me his goal from last year!

“On his first day training with us, he jumped up for a header and went right through the back of Macca (MacLean). He just smashed him.

“I don’t think Macca was too happy but I quite like that. It’s what you want. He’s a great big defender, very solid.

“When I heard we were getting him, I said it was a great signing for us. Everyone saw how good he was last season. Hopefully he has a good year.”

While Halkett’s progress has been meteoric in the last three years, Cochrane is seeking to bounce back from an injury-hit campaign which was something of a write-off as he made just eight senior appearances for the Jambos last term.

He’s now hungry to recapture the form that lit up the SPFL when he broke onto the scene in 2017 at the age of 16.

Cochrane said: “If I’m going to develop, I need to be playing first-team games. I want to get my head down and impress the gaffer. I need to get in positions to score more often and if I get five goals I’ll be happy.”

The opportunity is certainly there for Cochrane given Arnaud Djoum has departed for Al-Raed in Saudi Arabia and Olly Lee has been told he’s free to leave.

Boss Craig Levein insists he doesn’t begrudge star man Djoum a big pay day after turning down a new deal.

He said: “When we spoke about a deal he said he hadn’t been lucky enough to make any real money in his career.

“And we didn’t pay him a lot of money. So I completely understand. He goes with my best wishes and everyone else’s. He’s a wonderful person.” HEARTS will be in for a cut if German third-tier side FSV Zwickau ever cash in on Marcus Godinho thanks to a sell-on clause.

The 22-year-old still had a year to run on his contract at Tynecastle but was allowed to leave for free in search of first-team football.

However, it is understood Hearts have inserted a clause which will see them profit if Godinho’s career kick-starts in Germany and he earns another move.

The Canada defender made just 20 appearances in three seasons in Gorgie but hopes to make his mark with ambitious Zwickau, who finished seventh in the league last season. BY SCOTT BURNS LAWRENCE SHANKLAND has admitted there were clubs still trying to land him as he travelled up to sign for Dundee United.

The striker, who scored 34 goals for Ayr last season, has been one of Scotland’s hottest properties this summer and despite offers from the Premiership, English Championship and League One, he opted for a move to Tannadice.

Shankland completed his switch from Somerset Park on a three-year deal last week and confirmed several clubs, including Hull and Blackpool, were still trying to hi-jack the deal as he made his way up to St Andrews.

He said: “I knew I was going to have a big decision to make.

“As a free transfer I could go anywhere I wanted. It was a long time coming but I’m glad to get it sorted and I’m happy to be here.

“On the way up I did get a call. There were more clubs flung in, some weren’t true, some were.

“I had weighed up all my offers, spoken to people I needed to speak to, and I just decided this felt right.

“I spoke to the manager Robbie Neilson and saw the facilities here and I knew it was somewhere I could come and improve again. That’s the case.”

Shankland, 23, could have earned much more money going to Hull or Sunderland but admitted it was more about his career than cash.

He knows that to develop he needs to keep playing first-team football, after Swansea failed with a bid in January. Shankland said: “I felt this was a good step in the right direction.

“I didn’t want to go. You see people going down to England and disappearing.

“I didn’t want to do that, I wanted to keep playing football and improving.

“I know things I’ve got to improve on so coming here and working with the manager and the facilities they have, it could be the next step in my career.”

It’s another season in Scotland’s second tier. But Shankland added: “No disrespect to Ayr, it’s playing for a much bigger club that realistically is going to go and challenge for the title this year.

“I didn’t feel I could get that anywhere else.

“That’s what you want to do, to win things and play for clubs going in the right direction.”