Yahoo Sport 
Lawrence Shankland drops clearest Hearts exit hint yet as he ponders factors behind transfer tumbleweed
Lawrence Shankland has given the clearest indication yet he will leave Hearts this summer with talks over a new deal at a dead end.
The Scotland striker can talk to other clubs from January as he enters the final six months of his current contract. And with no progress being made since the 29-year-old turned down two offers to extend his stay in Gorgie at the turn of the year, Shankland is preparing to say his farewells at the end of the season.
Asked if the club had been back in contact about a deal, Shankland, who is hoping to help Hearts move away from the Premiership basement with victory over Celtic this evening, said: “Regarding the contract, no. There’s not been any contact. I think right now as it stands, both the club and myself are comfortable where we’re at. In terms of talks, we’ll just move forward and see how the next couple of months go.
READ MORE: Nils Koppen Rangers role leap is back to front as Saturday Jury names Celtic transfer necessity
“At this moment in time, my contract will be finishing. I won’t have one at Hearts, so that indicates that you move on. That’s the situation where we’re at with the club. That’s where we left it. There is no contract on the table.
“That’s where it’s been since then. You never say never in football. Right now with the situation, if you’re asking me, that’s where it’s at.
“But more importantly than that, obviously everybody’s been concentrating on trying to improve things on the pitch. Once that’s done, I imagine we can worry about things off it.”
Shankland was heavily linked with Rangers in the last two transfer windows after hitting 59 goals in 94 appearances in his first two campaigns. But he is experiencing a drought this term with just one goal from 18 outings.
Asked if he was surprised that he did not get a move in the last 12 months, Shankland replied: “Obviously, when you have the seasons that you have and you’ve been successful the rewards of football can sometimes be a move on to bigger things. You can’t guarantee that that comes around.
“There’s a lot of factors that come into moving on. Price tags, people, age, where you are in your career. There’s a lot of things that people take into consideration if they want to come and get a player.
“It wasn’t something I concerned myself too much about. I had a year left in my contract at Hearts. In my head, at the end of the season, that was where I was going to be returning at pre-season.”
Shankland’s form has come under the microscope this season with the goals drying up in a Hearts team that is struggling at the other end of the table. But the former Dundee United, Ayr United and Beerschot marksman insists he is in doubt that he will soon find shooting boots.
He added: “It always usually just comes down to one kick of the ball going in the net. That seems to change things for strikers, I don’t know why but I think there’s evidence of it everywhere.
“In every league, you’ll find when a striker’s going on a run, it’s just getting that first goal again. That’s where I’m at. I’m comfortable with it, as weird as it is.”
