Ryan Stevenson has urged Hearts not to sell star man Lawrence Shankland in January, insisting it could be disastrous for the Tynecastle outfit.

The Scotland international has been linked with a move away from Gorgie, with Rangers said to be interested in his services.

Stevenson has highlighted just how important Shankland has been to Hearts this campaign, and he feels if they were to let him go, then they could give up the chance of finishing third in the division.

Speaking in the Daily Record, he said: "Take one look at Hearts' stats for this season and there's a glaring problem.

"After Shankland on 12 goals the second name on the top scorers list doesn't even exist. It's a chap called Own Goals who has hit the net a mighty three times.

"That's nothing short of embarrassing for every forward or attacking midfielder at the club outwith the captain. I'm talking about players such as Jorge Grant, Yutaro Oda, Kenneth Vargas, Kyosuke Tagawa and Alan Forrest.

"What's really concerning is that if someone comes in with a bid for Shankland in the January window that can't be turned down then Hearts are in deep trouble.

"If they sold their talisman with no replacement lined up then Steven Naismith would be signing his own death warrant as manager.

"Right now everything in between the skipper and the defence is flattering to deceive. Not since Vargas scored against Livingston on November 1 has anyone other than Shankland or OG scored for Hearts - and it was even Shanks who forced that own goal at Killie.

"If these guys and others round about them can lift their numbers in the second half of the season - and Shankland is still around - then what a chance Hearts will have of finishing third."