Amid consistent speculation linking one Scottish striker with Rangers – Hearts frontman Lawrence Shankland likely to be a man in high demand with his contract expiring and following another stellar season in front of goal – but he is not the only Tartan Army targetman under consideration by the Glasgow giants.
There is interest, per Peter O’Rourke, in a talented young forward who also has his fair share of admirers in the English Premier League. At Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Brentford, to name but three.
And with his contract expiring in the summer of 2025 – despite Bristol City’s obvious desire to extend it – the future of Tommy Conway is likely to hog many a column inch on both sides of Hadrian’s Wall over the coming weeks and months.
Rangers are admirers of the Scotland Under-21 international. Conway might not be a proven and prolific marksman like Shankland but, as Gers icon Kenny Miller pointed out recently, the early moves made by Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen suggest that the Glasgow giants will be prioritising youth and potential over experience.
Rangers like Scotland u21 star Tommy Conway
Conway, seven years Shankland’s junior at the age of 21, ticks many of the same boxes as January recruits Mohamed Diomande, Oscar Cortes and Fabio Silva.
The Bristol City speedster scored his 12th goal of the season against Rotherham United over the weekend, with Millers boss Steve Evans finding out first hand what all the fuss is about.
Evans, a lifelong Celtic supporter, recommended one Matt O’Riley to The Hoops after coming up against the young midfielder at MK Dons. And he would relish the sight of Conway following in O’Riley’s footsteps, obviously and understandably not too keen to see a player he rates so highly end up down the road at Old Firm rivals Rangers.
“The last player I recommended Celtic should sign, when I got a call from the manager, was the boy who went from MK Dons who’s now worth multi-millions,” former Stevenage boss Evans says, via Yahoo Sport.
“If you’re asking me, could Conway play at Celtic? Absolutely. Get in the car and go today, he could play there.
“He might want to go to Celtic. But you can’t (let him). He’s a gifted boy. He’s a really good player, first and foremost.”
Conway has been likened to Jamie Vardy by some, the Taunton-born forward at his most effective when running in behind onto the sort of through balls Todd Cantwell and Tom Lawrence have made their trademark.
A Euro 2024 role for Bristol City striker?
Evans also believes there may be a place in Steve Clarke’s Scotland plans for Euro 2024 for a striker who could give the Tartan Army boss a different sort of threat to the physicality of Lyndon Dykes and the work-rate of Che Adams.
“Does Steve Clarke have enough really good players? Possibly not,” Evans adds. “But I would think anyone who’s come to watch the boy Conway must be saying; ‘we know he’s in the (under) 21s. We know he’s in the organisation’. So they’ll have a handle on him.
“But I certainly know some players who play in that first-team squad for Scotland and I’m sure the boy Conway could go into that and play some minutes, for sure.”
Rangers are reportedly also keen on Aberdeen hitman Bojan Miovski ahead of the summer window.
