Rangers Target Lawrence Shankland in Urgent Transfer Move

If an exclusive update from SunSport is believed to be true, Rangers have made a shock move for Lawrence Shankland and are targeting a deal for the Hearts hitman within the next 48 hours. They failed to land the Scotsman on multiple occasions, including last summer when he was available on a Bosman. But they now want him at Ibrox before he jets to the World Cup with the Tartan Army.

The 30-year-old boyhood Rangers fan began his career with Queen’s Park, as he featured for their senior side in the third tier of Scottish football. Aberdeen snapped him up in the summer of 2013 on a Bosman, but loaned him out to then-League One outfit Dunfermline Athletic for first-team engagement. The Dons retained him for next season following a productive stint with the Pars; however, the lack of top-flight minutes led to successive loans in the second division with St Mirren and Greenock Morton.

Rise In Scottish Football

Although he was a free agent for a couple of months after being released by Aberdeen in 2017, an initial short-term contract with Ayr United changed his career trajectory. Shankland hit the ground running immediately while spearheading their attack, thus earning them a promotion in the Scottish Championship. He maintained his free-scoring form next season, but eventually joined Dundee United after 63 goals in 74 appearances for The Honest Men.

Shankland’s stellar form brought the Tangerines into the Premiership. While his scoring streak dipped in the top tier, the Belgian Pro League club Beerschot splashed out €1.18m to secure his services in August 2021. But he struggled to find his rhythm high up the pitch, leading to his €470k transfer to Hearts next summer.