{"id":14002,"date":"2026-01-20T13:52:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T13:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=14002"},"modified":"2026-01-20T13:52:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T13:52:21","slug":"hearts-agree-mato-deal-after-shankland-injury-blow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=14002","title":{"rendered":"Hearts agree Mato deal after Shankland injury blow"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Hearts are facing up to two months without captain Lawrence Shankland as the Scotland striker recovers from a hamstring strain, while the Scottish Premiership leaders have agreed a deal to speed up the signature of Rogers Mato.<\/b><\/p>\n

The Uganda international, 22, had agreed to join under freedom of contract in the summer, but now a fee has been settled with FK Vardar in North Macedonia.<\/p>\n

With work permit and visa issues pending, Mato is unlikely to join in time for Sunday’s home game against champions Celtic.<\/p>\n

Shankland, 30, scored his 15th goal of the season in Saturday’s Scottish Cup loss to Falkirk before going off in extra-time.<\/p>\n

A brief statement via social media revealed Shankland “will miss the next six to eight weeks”.<\/p>\n

Hearts recently lost influential midfielder Cammy Devlin for a similar time scale due to a leg injury<\/a>, while Oisin McEntee, Stephen Kingsley and record signing Eduardo Ageu are also sidelined for the Edinburgh side and Beni Baningime is suspended for the weekend’s big game.<\/p>\n

Shankland, in his fourth season at Tynecastle, will be absent for the next derby at home to Hibernian on 10 February, which is followed by a trip to face Rangers at Ibrox.<\/p>\n

Hearts are six points in front of Celtic and Rangers with 16 league matches remaining.<\/p>\n

With 11 goals, Shankland is the Premiership’s top scorer, while team-mate Claudio Braga has nine.<\/p>\n

Central defenders Craig Halkett and Stuart Findlay are the next best with four goals each.<\/p>\n

Pierre Landry Kabore and Elton Kabangu came off the bench for Hearts on Saturday, with teenager James Wilson another option in attack.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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