Beni Baningime staying at Hearts makes sense for all concerned

There are multiple reasons why a new deal in Edinburgh works for everybody

Beni Baningime’s future is about to be clarified after months of deliberating. Hearts offered him a new contract late last year and there are sound reasons why he is now seriously considering signing it. He is two league games away from becoming a free agent and the time for a final decision has arrived.

In an exclusive Edinburgh News interview published on Sunday, Baningime hinted at staying at Tynecastle Park. Hitherto, he has been reluctant to commit beyond the expiry of his contract in a couple of weeks. Nothing is guaranteed in the modern football world where things change by the minute. However, reading between the lines there is a realistic chance that the Congolese-born player with the infectious smile and Scouse twang could hang around a bit longer in Gorgie.

Baningime joined Hearts from Everton in summer 2021 and instantly proved popular with Hearts supporters. His composed authority in central midfield offered a perfect complement to more attack-minded colleagues. Now 25, he has spent three years in Scotland, learned the footballing culture, recovered from a year out with cruciate ligament damage, and shown glimpses of better form in recent weeks.

He has taken time to mull over the contract proposal whilst remaining a regular starter in head coach Steven Naismith’s team. Like any player, he was entitled to see what interest might transpire from other clubs and assess the situation with his family. Have there been fewer concrete offers than expected from England? That situation is unclear but a number of EFL Championship and League One clubs have monitored Baningime throughout his time in Scotland.

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The prestige of playing for Hearts next season should not be overlooked when analysing his predicament. He has the chance to experience the league stage of either the Europa League or Conference League, something he would not get in England’s second or third tier. The aforementioned knee injury denied him exposure to that environment last season, so he now has a chance to atone for the disappointment by signing another deal.

It is an opportunity to tick that box and test himself against some strong continental opponents. The sight of Baningime stumbling and floundering against Rosenborg in Trondheim during last August’s Conference League qualifier disturbed many who know he is capable of much better. It was just his second competitive appearance after 17 months out and remains his only European outing for Hearts.

A devout Christian, the midfielder tapped into every ounce of inner strength and inspiration he could muster in order to improve physically and mentally thereafter. Many footballers will tell you that, whatever time they spend sidelined through injury, it takes the same period again to regain absolute peak performance once they resume playing. Baningime won’t reach that 17-month point until next January. He has been a fairly consistent performer since the turn of the year but there is still room for improvement regarding endurance and speed. The likelihood is he would be fitter and stronger for next season with a full pre-season programme undertaken this summer.

Baningime has never enjoyed the benefits of a proper pre-season at Hearts. He joined from Everton in late July 2021 and was injured throughout summer 2022. Even in 2023, he was still building himself up after injury during June and July before being thrust into competitive action. This year, should he sign the deal on offer, he would be able to report back to Riccarton in good condition ready to fully embrace the pre-season schedule without concern.

Hearts are understandably keen to keep him around. They see an experienced, motivated individual who fits into the club’s culture. Rather than the risk of a new arrival, Baningime is tried and trusted with the potential to improve further given his age. The recruitment team at Riccarton have compiled a list of holding midfielders who could take his place should he decide to leave, but any new signing carries a risk. Not every transfer works out.

Baningime’s quiet assurance is another asset Hearts want to utilise. He is one of a few senior professionals able to help nurture younger midfielders like Macaulay Tait, Aidan Denholm and Finlay Pollock next year. That influence would serve those and other academy graduates well as Naismith looks to develop more home-grown talent.

Finally, there would be an extra bonus to Baningime inking his signature onto a new Tynecastle contract. Social media and Whatsapp messages have been peppered with ‘Dan Phillips to Hearts’ rumours for months now. The St Johnstone midfielder is out of contract but there has been no approach from Gorgie for his services. He is not one of the names on Hearts’ list of possible summer targets as things stand. Baningime staying could finally put all the talk to bed.

He remarked to sporting director Joe Savage that he would “make this club money” when he joined Hearts. Three years later, he is entitled to walk for free should he choose. Signing another contract makes more sense given what is on offer in Edinburgh next year and beyond. And perhaps, in time, he can come good on that financial promise.

Beni Baningime staying at Hearts makes sense for all concerned - and deals with the Dan Phillips rumour