Rangers have reportedly failed with a big to sign Hearts winger Jamie Walker.
Andy Murdoch (L) in action with Heart of Midlothian’s Jamie Walker
Heart of Midlothian manager Ian Cathro has told The Scottish Sun that he is expecting winger Jamie Walker to work hard amid speculation of a move to Rangers.
Walker, 23, has spent his entire career with Hearts having come up through the ranks with the Edinburgh club, becoming a key player at Tynecastle.
The winger hit 12 goals and two assists last season to again prove himself as one of the top young players in the Scottish Premiership, but speculation now surrounds Walker’s future with the club.
Celtic’s Stuart Armstrong (L) and Celtic’s Mikael Lustig in action with Heart’s Jamie Walker
Last month, Walker told Hearts that he wants to leave the club in search of a move elsewhere, and with just one year left on his contract, Hearts may be forced to sell this summer.
Reports from the Edinburgh Evening News earlier today suggested that Rangers have offered £500,000 for Walker’s signature, though Hearts have rejected that bid in search of a seven-figure fee.
Hearts’ Jamie Walker celebrates scoring against Rangers
Having already signed Bruno Alves, Fabio Cardoso, Ryan Jack, Dalcio and Daniel Candeias, with Carlos Pena, Eduardo Herrera and Alfredo Morelos also on the way, it’s unclear whether Rangers can stump up that fee.
With Dalcio only on loan and Barrie McKay out of contract in a year, Walker could be a vital addition for Pedro Caixinha’s side, though Hearts are certainly set to put up a real fight to keep the wide man.
Ian Cathro (L)
Hearts manager Ian Cathro has told The Scottish Sun that he is expecting Walker to focus and work hard despite the speculation surrounding his future, claiming it’s a ‘simple situation’ given that rumours are natural or many players, and he wants Walker to maintain a strong attitude as he seeks a move away.
“I look at it really simply: Jamie is one of my players,” said Cathro. “He has great talent, a lot of potential and is someone who can be influential. He needs to come to work and be ready to fight, progress, grow, push himself and improve himself. It’s also my responsibility to help him develop and we’ll do that together.”
“We aren’t going to be obsessed in the business side of things. We want to be obsessed with performance. These things will always be going on in the background in one way or another. The most important thing is the attitude of everyone to concentrate on the performance of the team. This kind of story exists constantly with different players so it’s a simple situation for me,” he added.
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