Lawrence Shankland has addressed growing questions surrounding his future at Heart of Midlothian, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
The striker, who has been a key figure for Hearts since his arrival from Belgian club Beerschot in the summer of 2022, was notably absent from the starting lineup for Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership, with head coach Neil Critchley opting for a different tactical approach.
Shankland was introduced in the 71st minute, but by that time, Dundee United had already taken the lead and Hearts were playing with 10-men because of James Wilson's first half red card.
When asked about his future at the club and whether he had any updates regarding his contract situation, Shankland offered a calm and measured response.
“No movement at all. Nothing's changed. Play to the end of the season, see what happens,” he said, reflecting the uncertainty that looms over his next steps.
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The decision to leave Shankland out of the starting XI raised eyebrows, especially considering his importance to the team in recent years and the fact Hearts knew a victory would put them one step closer to cementing a top six spot.
However, the 29-year-old forward took the decision in stride, understanding that football is filled with tough choices that sometimes leave key players sidelined.
“It's obviously disappointing. You want to play every game,” Shankland told Edinburgh Evening News.
“I'm the same as all my team-mates in there every week. There are boys left out and not in the squad, or on the bench. It's part of football that you need to deal with. It's disappointing of course, everyone wants to play. Unfortunately, that can't be the case. You just try to come on and try and make an impact.”
When asked if being dropped served as extra motivation, Shankland responded diplomatically.
“I don't know if 'fire up' is the right term," he continued. "I know what you're trying to get at, that you've got something to prove. I don't think that's the case. I've played enough games here. The manager knows what he gets from me in terms of as a player.
"He made the decision to go with Jorge [Grant]. He's been doing well in recent weeks, he's got a few goals in there. No issues. We had a conversation and he explained his thoughts.”
