Hearts sporting director Graeme Jones has stood by the club's decision to include a break clause in Lawrence Shankland's contract, which allowed the striker to leave Tynecastle Park and join Rangers for free this summer.

The 30-year-old captain had signed a new three-year deal with Hearts last July, but a loophole built into that agreement permitted him to exit without a transfer fee. Shankland scored 20 goals last season as Hearts were edged out of the Scottish Premiership title by Celtic on the final day.

Jones explains the calculation

Speaking in a club interview, Jones acknowledged the move would be hard for supporters to accept, but insisted it was the correct call. "The situation with Lawrence a year ago was actually quite simple: we as a club had to make a calculation on whether we wanted to keep Lawrence or not," he said.

"And the only way in which we could keep him was with the deal that was agreed in the end. The calculation was made up of the fact that if we were very successful as a team and Lawrence was very successful on the park, the risk would be that we would lose him at the end of the first season."

Jones added that he accepted fan frustration but defended the outcome: "I naturally understand the disappointment that our fans will feel at losing their captain and their striker, but it was the only deal in which it was going to be possible for us to move forward. I back the decision that we made and I'm thankful for the year that we had with Lawrence."

The sporting director also struck an optimistic note about the club's direction: "Like all teams, they evolve past players, and I'm excited by the evolution of this team going into the summer, of the players that we will bring in and the things that we can achieve going forward."

Devlin's future still unresolved

Jones confirmed that talks with Australia midfielder Cammy Devlin, who is out of contract, remain ongoing. "The situation is ongoing, so discussions are still in place with Cammy's representatives and there are positive discussions," he said, adding that he hoped for clarity within a week or so on whether Devlin stays or departs.

Rebuilding already under way

Hearts have moved quickly in the transfer market, bringing in Josh McPake and MJ Kamson-Kamara, with Tom Renaud and Calvin Miller also set to sign. Jones hinted that further additions are on the way, encouraging fans to expect new arrivals in the coming weeks.

Shankland departs Tynecastle having scored 88 goals in 171 appearances — a record that underlines the size of the void Hearts must now fill. Head coach Derek McInnes faces the twin challenge of replacing a captain and a striker who consistently delivered 20-plus goals per season. Shankland will first link up with his new Rangers team-mates after representing Scotland at the FIFA World Cup 2026.