It’s been suspiciously quiet concerning Rangers and Hearts talisman Lawrence Shankland this summer.
Rewind only a few months ago and there was barely a bluenose around who wasn’t screaming at Rangers to get a deal for the prolific striker over the line in January.
As things transpired, Lawrence Shankland stayed at Hearts and Rangers’ stuttering forward line collapsed in the title run-in.
Valuations of around £5m were enough to turn any level-headed bluenose off but with Shankland entering the final year of his Jambos contract, we certainly expected more chatter this summer.
Maybe it’s the European Championships, maybe it’s that Rangers have been extensively linked elsewhere, but as things stand there has been nothing to suggest the forward will move to Ibrox.
Speaking about Shankland’s situation, leading Herald & Times journalist Chris Jack has been talking about how likely the striker is to move to Rangers ahead of the new season.
Journalist talks Rangers & Shankland
Whilst there has been nothing concrete on Lawrence Shankland, one thing is certain at Ibrox this summer.
Rangers are on the hunt for more firepower.
The Ibrox side were found wanting in the final third last season as a string of serious injuries eventually caught up with the side.
Cyriel Dessers eventually won favour with the fans but the striker very much carried the torch with Kemar Roofe and Danilo both propping up a very busy physio’s room.
But despite the Rangers transfer hunt extending to every corner of the globe, Chris Jack reckons that our wee bit hill and glen is set to go unnoticed.
Specifically, this means the journalist doesn’t believe Rangers will move for Lawrence Shankland; even if he expects the hitman to move on.
“Do I think Lawrence Shankland would score goals for Rangers? Yes. Do I expect him to sign this summer? No,” Chris Jack told the Rangers Review.
“For all the chat and conjecture in January, there was little to suggest that Rangers were going to test the resolve of the Tynecastle board.
“At that stage, Rangers would have had to pay over the odds and it wouldn’t have made financial sense, especially given the outlay on strikers in the summer.
“His goal return speaks for itself but I think Clement would prefer a No.9 in a different mould. There will rightly be interest in Shankland this summer but I don’t expect it to come from Ibrox.”
Rangers transfer hunt continues
Whilst there will still be plenty of Rangers fans screaming at the club to move for Lawrence Shankland, others will argue we need to move elsewhere.
The Scotland international might have hammered in 31 goals for Hearts last season but the links surrounding Rangers are very much in different places.
The Gers are looking to sign emerging talents before developing them into winners and flipping them for high profits in the transfer market.
At 28-years-old we’re not convinced the Tynecastle talisman fits the mould.
With links to the likes of Hamza Igamane and Albion Rrahmani more in keeping with the Nils Koppen transfer vision we suspect Shankland won’t be moving to Rangers this summer.
That said, you can never say never and we don’t want to rule anything out.
Especially when Shankland himself is aiming for a ‘higher level’.
