Lawrence Shankland has emerged as a transfer target for both West Brom and Southampton.
According to The Scottish Sun, the forward is attracting interest from clubs in the Championship ahead of his likely departure from Hearts.
The 29-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the Premiership outfit, helping them achieve qualification for Europe in that time.
He contributed eight goals and eight assists in the previous campaign as the team finished seventh in the table, but is now set to become a free agent.
Lawrence Shankland - Hearts league goals and appearances (per Fbref.com)
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2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
Here we use estimated figures from Capology to see what kind of salary he might earn should he move to either West Brom or Southampton…
West Brom’s wage bill
West Bromwich Albion's Daryl Dike
West Brom have a total wage bill worth £422,731 per week, with an average salary of £16,259.
Their highest paid player is Daryl Dike, with the forward receiving £32,308-a-week from the Baggies.
Other high earners include Jed Wallace and Darnell Furlong, who are both on a contract worth £25,000 per week.
John Swift and Grady Diangana’s terms are valued at £22,500 and £20,385-a-week, respectively, although both players will be leaving the club at the end of the month, with their deals set to expire.
If Shankland is going to move to the Hawthorns this summer, then he will be hoping to earn a similar salary to attacking players like Wallace and Dike.
Star forward Josh Maja is on a deal worth £17,000 per week, but it’s unlikely a contact of that size will be able to convince Shankland to sign if there is competition from elsewhere.
The 29-year-old has never played in English football before, and will be looking to make a big money move this summer, with this likely being his last chance at earning such a deal.
Given the way West Brom are currently spending, an offer around the £20,000 to £25,000 per week mark would be reasonable to expect.
Southampton’s wage bill
Aaron Ramsdale of Southampton
Southampton spend more than double West Brom on their squad’s weekly salary, paying their first team £971,000.
Their average salary is £24,275 per week, with Aaron Ramsdale their highest earner with a wage of £120,000.
With the Saints now preparing for life back in the Championship, it’s unlikely they’ll be looking to spend big on salaries this summer, certainly nothing close to Ramsdale.
Other high earners include Jan Bednarek and Joe Aribo, with the pair earning £70,000-a-week.
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However, Shankland’s weekly salary is likely to be closer to players like Mateus Fernandes (£20,000), Adam Armstrong and Paul Onuachu (£30,000 each).
When it comes to financial capability, there is no doubt that the Hampshire outfit will have more flexibility in what they can offer the Hearts player.
However, there could be other factors that swing his decision, including game time, ahead of a potential move to English football.