Southampton are Considering 28-goal striker Worth £5 Million in the Winter market, Hearts boss confirmed a sale will be considered this summer.

Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull City were linked with Lawrence Shankland in January and now, Hearts boss Steven Naismith has confirmed a sale will be considered this summer.

Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull City were among the clubs said to be eyeing Scottish talisman Shankland in the January window.

A move never came to fruition for the striker, and he’s maintained a starring role at Tynecastle since. Across all competitions, Shankland has notched 28 goals and eight assists in 44 games this season.

The 28-year-old has been one of Scotland’s standout scorers in recent seasons, also enjoying fruitful stints with Ayr United and Dundee United.

Now though, as he prepares to enter the last 12 months of his deal, it looks as though Hearts are willing to listen to offers.

Manager Steven Naismith explained to the Edinburgh Evening News that they will avoid previous errors in losing key assets for nothing and will consider selling Shankland this summer if the right bid comes in.

The report adds interest remains from England, Scotland and abroad. Previous admirers Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull City are not mentioned at this stage, nor is any club.

Naismith said:

He has a year left and the club will have a decision to make in terms of the bigger picture. We need to look ahead. We can’t have situations every year like Josh Ginnelly, where he comes to the end of his contract and we can’t do anything about it.

“You have got to value him: What’s the worth of keeping a player for that last year? Is there an offer there? Does he want to sign a new contract? All these factors come in.“There is a real calmness within the club about it all. There is an understanding of all the variations that can happen.

“One thing is for sure, as long as Shanks is here he will give one 100 per cent and he will lead by example as he has done all season.”

Heading down south?

Shankland has been linked with a move to the EFL on plenty of occasions and with the door potentially opening for him to move on from Hearts this summer, it could be that we finally see him tested at this level.

There will be plenty of sides keen on a striker who has proven himself as a fantastic goalscorer in Scotland.

All of Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull City will have been wise to keep tracking his situation after holding an interest in January and this latest development may well put them on alert as they lay the blueprints for their summer recruitment plans.

Hearts have a price though, and they’ll want that to be matched if they’re to cash in this summer.

Is Shankland a smart signing?

Looking from the perspective of Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull City, Shankland could prove to be a pretty safe signing this summer.

Perhaps he won’t be back on the Saints’ radar if they win promotion to the Premier League. However, with Che Adams out of contract, perhaps Shankland would be a smart replacement if they remain in the Championship.

Middlesbrough and Hull City will be determined to push higher up the Championship table next season and a proven goalscorer like Shankland may well be a welcome addition in that case.

At Boro, he could provide some much-needed goalscoring support for leading talisman Emmanuel Latte Lath while on Humberside, the Scot could be the regular source of goals they need if they’re to bridge the gap to those at the top of the division.

 

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