Latest news with #DerekMcInnes
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Should Hearts' Shankland stay or should he go?
Heart of Midlothian travel to Spain for a pre-season training camp this weekend, just over two weeks out from their opening match of the new season against Dunfermline Athletic on 12 the travelling group, one name is conspicuous by its absence, that of talismanic striker Lawrence Shankland, whose contract with the club expires at the end of this month. Since Hearts brought Shankland back to Scotland in 2022, he has established himself as one of the most reliable goalscorers in Scotland's top has scored 68 goals in Hearts colours in 137 appearances across all competitions. There's an old adage about good strikers scoring one in two - and Shankland does that. That form, along with Shankland's contract situation, explains the long-standing speculation over the Scotland international. A mooted move to Rangers never transpired and links to West Bromwich Albion appear to have gone Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has made no secret of his desire to keep Shankland in Gorgie and tie him down to a new deal, with conversations between player and club is rife among Hearts supporters after Brighton and Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom completed a £9.86m deal to buy a 29% stake in the Edinburgh will Shankland hold out for a move to England or back overseas? Or will he want to be part of Bloom's "disruption" and lead the line in maroon again next season? Hearts can offer 'security' & ambition The fact that Shankland has not made it clear he is leaving is cause for optimism for both McInnes and Hearts is evidently and understandably excited at the prospect of working with the 29-year-old, but will Shankland sign on the dotted line to link up with the club's new team boss?Hearts will hope the chance to be part of their new project, with tried-and-tested performer McInnes in the dugout and Bloom's gravitas in the boardroom, is enough to persuade their star uncertainty over Shankland's future has been clouded further still as McInnes heads to Spain without him."I really feel Lawrence as part of a strong Hearts team can elevate himself," McInnes said earlier this week. "I think he's capable of scoring 25-30 goals a season in the right team and used in the right way."We can offer security. We can offer building a team and being part of a team that's trying to be successful."With Bloom aiming to "disrupt the pattern of domination which has been in place for far too long" in Scottish football, there is an expectation Hearts will attack the transfer Christian Borchgrevink, winger Alexandros Kyziridis, striker Claudio Braga, centre-half Stuart Findlay and midfielder Oisin McEntee have already signed in the early knockings of the window, while Elton Kabangu joined permanently after last season's loan the ambition of the McInnes-Bloom project, the prospect of playing under the immediate gaze of Scotland head coach Steve Clarke would be another perk of staying in Edinburgh for Shankland. Why do Hearts want to keep him? One word. Goals."When you get the ball into dangerous areas, Lawrence Shankland will score," former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart said on Sportscene at the end of last season."A guy that is capable of banging in 20-plus goals a season doesn't grow on trees."Stewart is right. Shankland has passed the 20-goal mark in the Premiership twice in the past three seasons - no other player has done Furuhashi did it once for Celtic, Cyriel Dessers once for Rangers and Kevin van Veen once for Motherwell. Beyond that, Shankland brings experience and leadership, having captained Hearts during goalkeeper Craig Gordon's long injury has amassed more than 150 Premiership appearances in addition to 16 Scotland caps. Shankland 'looking to maximise earning potential' Had Shankland's contract expired 12 months prior, the suitors would have been piling up to sign him on a free given his goal-scoring feats in the 2023-24 season, during which he bagged 31 goals in all season just gone was less prolific and, as he approaches 30, Shankland is likely considering how many high-profile moves or high-paying contracts he has left in his career."He's at a stage in his career where he's looking to maximise his earning potential, which is completely understandable," Stewart explains why Hearts are yet to hear from him regarding the offer on the no deal has been done, suggesting any alternative offers received by Shankland were not to his liking. With pre-season about to get under way, things will come to a head in the coming Naismith, who was Hearts boss during Shankland's free-scoring 2023-24 season, added: "Like any player, there are more options when you're out of contract."It gives you a chance to sit and think what's best for you at this stage in your career, but he'll want it sorted before pre-season starts."
Scotsman
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
New Hearts signings join a 'huge operation'
Derek McInnes is preparing for season 2025/26 in the Scottish Premiership Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Six new signings so far with more to come. It has been a busy and productive summer transfer window at Hearts, who depart for a week-long pre-season training camp in Spain on Saturday. Head coach Derek McInnes has welcomed recruits from across Europe, with various new accents heard echoing along Riccarton's corridors. Importantly, they all speak English and are being integrated into Edinburgh life as part of Hearts' operation. That operation is a sizeable one, McInnes noted. He is still familiarising himself with new work colleagues a month after leaving Kilmarnock. He will take 28 players to Spain and all six new signings are due to travel - Norwegian right-back Christian Borchgrevink, Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis, Belgian striker Elton Kabangu, Irish midfielder Oisin McEntee, Portuguese striker Claudio Braga and Scottish centre-back Stuart Findlay. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kazakhstan international winger Islam Chesnokov has agreed a pre-contract with Hearts and the Edinburgh club would like to sign him in a permanent transfer before the summer window closes. There may be one or two additional signings thereafter, but that could depend on which players leave. McInnes took charge of a 31-man first-team squad at the start of pre-season, including the new arrivals. 'Everyone has settled in well, they all speak good English and are interacting brilliantly,' said the manager. 'The communication is vital, especially in key positions on the pitch. From a recruitment perspective, it's something we spoke about and from a Hearts point of view it's something we wanted to be a key part of it with the players we signed from outside the UK. 'Footballers are footballers, they're normally good lads who enjoy being about their team-mates. They set about their training with enthusiasm and vigour. Each and every one of them has brought something different. Like every dressing-room, some are brighter and bubblier than others but everyone has settled well. Banking and housing for new signings as the Scottish football season 2025/26 nears 'The club has been brilliant helping them settle, helping them with their accommodation, bank accounts, helping them with their families and that sort of stuff. It's a time where players have to be really selfish and focused on getting fit. They have to be single-minded but the club is great at taking care of the other stuff. We are just accelerating their work, putting demands on them, so that integration is essential.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hearts' expansion in recent years involves greater staff numbers at Riccarton, but McInnes is aware of the club's ultimate priority. 'This club is a big operation,' he added. 'We are part of it here at Oriam. There's the women's team, there's the academy, there's under-18s, there's the B team, it's a huge organisation. Everyone's job is better at Hearts, everyone's life is easier if the first team is winning so we need to make sure we get a winning team on the pitch. I am not surprised by the stature of Hearts, it's what I expected.'
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Shankland omitted from Hearts' Spanish training camp
Lawrence Shankland has been omitted from Heart of Midlothian's 28-man squad for their pre-season training camp in 29-year-old Scotland striker is out of contract with the Scottish Premiership club but has been in talks about a new head coach Derek McInnes said earlier this week that he hoped to speak to Shankland again on Tuesday and receive some "clarity" over Shankland's future "in the coming days".McInnes indicated that Hearts were hopeful of retaining the striker's services, especially as he had not indicated he was leaving this week completed a £9.86m deal with Tony Bloom for the Brighton and Hove Albion owner to buy a 29% stake in the Edinburgh Tynecastle club already had a formal relationship with Bloom's company Jamestown Analytics for who has 16 Scotland caps, joined Hearts from Belgian club Beerschot in 2022.
Scotsman
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts name their 28-man squad for Spain - new signings and Lawrence Shankland contract latest
EFL opponents for new Tynecastle head coach Derek McInnes Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts fly out to Spain early on Saturday morning for a week-long pre-season training camp and have named a 28-man travelling squad. As expected, Lawrence Shankland is not included as he is out of contract, although he remains in talks with the club about a potential new deal. New manager Derek McInnes takes the team to south-east Spain for warm-weather training in temperatures which could touch 35 degrees next week. Hearts will play English League Two club Crawley Town during the trip before travelling back to Scotland on Saturday, 5 July. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Edinburgh club's first competitive match of McInnes' reign is against Dunfermline Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup at Tynecastle Park on Saturday, 12 July. By then, players will have been working under new management for more than three weeks, but much of the proper hard graft is due to take place over the next week in south-east Spain. The full 28-man Hearts squad is listed below, with Shankland a notable absentee. He is open to the prospect of re-signing at Hearts and has held several rounds of talks with McInnes, who is eager to keep him. So far, there has been no agreement. Tynecastle officials have made it clear that they will not wait indefinitely for the Scotland internationalist and will explore other options in an effort to add another striker to their squad for the season ahead. Other absentees from the Spanish trip are goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who is still recovering from a shoulder injury, and forward Kenneth Vargas, who is on international duty with Costa Rica at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Youngsters travelling are defender Adam Forrester, midfielder Aidan Denholm, striker James Wilson and goalkeeper Harry Stone. All six of Hearts' new signings are also included. Hearts squad travelling to Spain: Frankie Kent Stephen Kingsley Craig Halkett Jamie McCart Beni Baningime Elton Kabangu Calem Nieuwenhof Claudio Braga Christian Borchgrevink Cammy Devlin Michael Steinwender Blair Spittal Alan Forrest Harry Milne Stuart Findlay Yan Dhanda James Wilson Aidan Denholm Lewis Neilson Sander Kartum Zander Clark James Penrice Ryan Fulton Oisin McEntee Adam Forrester Musa Drammeh Harry Stone Alexandros Kyziridis More to follow.... 'We're still trying to bring in a couple of players in key positions,' explained McInnes. 'In certain areas, we've got more than enough. In defence, we look really strong and have options. We've got size, experience and good athleticism in those areas. I've made it clear I'm looking for a wide-right player, that's no secret. Looking at the players we've got, it's about who can fit into how we want to play. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I don't think we've got too much to do. I have a lot of good players in the building. It's hard to make quick assessments in a few days. Normally a manager will say it's a clean slate for everyone and I feel the players are facing that. They're trying to show me they have a part to play. But decisions on a few of them will have to be accelerated clearly if I'm bringing another couple in. The squad will then be too heavy, so those conversations will be for Spain and beyond. Right now, everyone has a chance and an opportunity to be here.'
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Derek McInnes makes early Hearts confession as he looks to avoid familiar Kilmarnock 'strain'
The Jambos' boss is looking towards the campaign and what will help the Jambos' get off to the perfect start Derek McInnes would love nothing more than to have a Hearts Euro adventure to look forward to. But the Tynecastle gaffer admits their failure to qualify this season could HELP his bid to get them off to a flier domestically. McInnes has been hired as Neil Critchley's replacement in Gorgie after they finished in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership last term. That means no European football for the new boss, which he's gutted about. But having been there with Kilmarnock a year ago, he's realistic enough to know that having a clear run at the Premier Sports Cup group phase - as well as the league - could be beneficial as they look to hit the ground running. McInnes said: 'I'd rather have to deal with European fixtures, the congestion and all the disruption that can cause. 'That's what I want us to be and where I want us to be. But unfortunately, we've got to look from the outside in this season. 'And when you don't have European football to contend with, it's important you try to make hay at the start of the season and get off to a strong start. 'At Killie, there's no doubt that we suffered a wee bit last season. There are many advantages if you're playing in Europe. 'But I think, from a new manager's point of view, just focusing on one game a week can help. 'Europe does put strain on you and unless you've got a really strong squad to deal with it, it can cause you issues. If you are playing Saturday, Thursday, Sunday, your opponents domestically are focusing solely on you - whereas you are only turning your eyes to them on Friday. 'The team you are up against, unless they are in Europe, always have an advantage.' Before league business starts, McInnes and his team must navigate a League Cup group stage that features games against Dunfermline, Hamilton, Stirling Albion and Dumbarton. And the manager insists he'll be playing the strongest team he's got ahead of the Premiership kick-off. He said: 'I will play the best team possible. I might have the luxury of being able freshen the team up but there will be no playing about with the team – it will be the strongest Hearts team in every game." You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp, where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
