6 Lawrence Shankland to Rangers for and against arguments as leading pundits tell Hearts what they MUST do next

As the net bulged after his spectacular late Edinburgh derby victory at Easter Road, the argument surrounding Lawrence Shankland’s future at Hearts heated up even more, with rumors of a move to Rangers in full swing.

It’s a move that has long been discussed and debated, with former Rangers striker Kenny Miller writing in his exclusive Sunday Mail column as far back as July that the Scotland striker would have been a better move for Michael Beale than many of the players the Englishman signed during his summer spending spree.
You’d be hard pressed to find a Rangers supporter who would argue that the £3.5 million spent on Sam Lammers would have been better spent on Shankland or even Cyriel Dessers, despite the former Cremonese man’s remarkable improvement. But what about right now? following spending so much in the summer, how much should Rangers pay for Shankland if Philippe Clement is keen and there was more to the Belgian’s warm hug for the Jambos striker following their last meeting at Tynecastle?
Shankland is under contract at Tynecastle until the end of next season and was relaxed when asked about his full-time future, saying only: “I’m under contract here and I’ve got 18 months left so I wouldn’t have much of a choice if they pulled me in the meeting room.”
Neil McCann knows all about making the move across the M8, having joined Rangers from Hearts 25 years ago this month – and what a wise signing he proved to be. “I would be flabbergasted if Hearts don’t want to show their intention to their own fans and club,” McCann remarked on BBC. They need to lock this guy in a room, bind him, and make him the club’s best paid player.”

Jambo’s ex-colleague “Even if it’s all politics and you’re playing games, the club should be putting it on the table and saying, ‘Look Lawrence, here’s a big deal for you,'” Michael Stewart added. We want you to stick around and be a part of it.’ He may or may not sign it. That’s OK, but do your job to ensure you’ve done everything you can rather than just saying “it will take care of itself.”
Let us begin with the obvious. This is a man at the pinnacle of his abilities, having scored 17 goals for club and country this season – more than anybody else at Ibrox – with all types of finishes; goals in Europe, at international level, and at home, including two against each of the Old Firm. His finish in the Edinburgh derby showcased his scoring prowess and is superior to anything Rangers currently have in terms of goal scoring. Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd remarked on Sky Sports that Celtic hitman Kyogo couldn’t have supplied the finish that Shankland did at Easter Road, while Kenny Miller described him as Scotland’s “best all-round striker” while discussing whether he should travel to Euro 2024 next year.

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