Football news: Shankland's Hearts future addressed, Celtic starlet 'rejects deal', potential Moyes successor, Rangers miss chance

We round up some of the main football stories this Monday evening:

Shankland contract talks

Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland will have “conversations” about his future at the end of the season in which he was named PFA Scotland Premiership Player of the Year. The 28-year-old striker has scored 28 goals for Hearts as well as one with Scotland this campaign and he picked up his award on Sunday night in Glasgow. Shankland, who signed a three-year deal with Hearts in 2022, will almost certainly be included in Steve Clarke’s squad for this summer’s European Championship in Germany but will consider his club future after the remaining three cinch Premiership fixtures. “We will get the rest of the season out of the way,” Shankland told Sky Sports Scotland. “We have managed to secure our objective at the start of the season and that was third place and Europe again. At the end of the season there will be conversations had as there is at the end of every season. But I am coming into a position now where I am going into the last season of my contract and conversations will need to be had at some point. We will deal with that in the future but for now I will just enjoy this moment.”

Kelly turns down deal

Celtic's Daniel Kelly has made six appearances this season.

Celtic youngster Daniel Kelly has rejected a new contract offer from the club, according to reports. Sky Sports claims that the 18-year-old, who has made six appearances for the first team this season, still hopes to agree terms with the current Premiership champions but has turned down the initial deal. Kelly’s current agreement with Celtic is due to expire at the end of December and it is understood that manager Brendan Rodgers is keen to tie down one of his brightest prospects for the long term.

SWPL title left on knife-edge

Celtic remain clear of title rivals Rangers on goal difference in the SWPL after the two teams played out a goalless draw at Broadwood on Monday afternoon. Both teams are locked together on 73 points, but Celtic’s goal difference is +102 as opposed to Rangers’ +89. Three rounds of fixtures remain, with Celtic taking on Partick Thistle and Hibs at home and an away trip to Hearts. Rangers are up against last season’s champions Glasgow City and Hibs away and a home game against the Jags.

Partick banish demons

Celtic's Chloe Craig and Rangers' Rio Hardy in action during Monday's SWPL clash.

Kris Doolan insists Partick Thistle have long since consigned last season’s Dingwall devastation to the past as they prepare for another tilt at the cinch Premiership through the play-offs. With around 20 minutes of the second leg of the play-off final away to Ross County remaining, the Jags were leading 3-0 on aggregate and heading for promotion. However, in a remarkable finale, County fought back to salvage a 3-3 draw and retain their top-flight status with a penalty shootout win, to leave the Maryhill side distraught. Doolan’s side finished third in this campaign – behind champions Dundee United and Raith Rovers – and will travel to face Airdrieonians in the Premiership play-off quarter-final first leg on Tuesday night, with the return game on Friday. “There was a hangover for a week or so afterwards, everybody feels bad, it is a natural thing but in football if you dwell on things you end up going backwards or you stand still,” said the Thistle boss. “We went back up to Ross County in the Scottish Cup and battered them. This club will not stand still on anything. We deal with it, we moved on. We are in really good form, the boys are confident and playing well.”

Moyes replacement ‘named’

Julen Lopetegui has agreed a deal to become West Ham manager, according to reports. The 57-year-old former Spain, Real Madrid and Wolves boss is reported to be close to returning to management at London Stadium if current incumbent David Moyes leaves the club. Moyes, 61, has been in charge at West Ham since 2019 but is out of contract at the end of the season and has refused to discuss his future at the club until after their final game, at Manchester City on May 19. West Ham were thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea on Sunday to effectively end their slim hopes of earning European qualification for a fourth straight season. The heavy defeat comes on the back of a 2-2 draw to Liverpool and 5-2 loss at Crystal Palace and they now sit ninth in the Premier League table with two games to go. The Hammers, Europa Conference League winners last season, were also knocked out of the Europa League last month following a quarter-final loss to Bayer Leverkusen. Lopetegui guided Wolves to safety last season but left the club after nine months on the eve of the new Premier League campaign in August. The former Porto and Sevilla boss lifted Wolves from the bottom of the table to a 13th-placed finish during his spell in charge.