After conceding the title initiative with a frustrating Old Firm derby defeat, Rangers bounced back well to defeat Kilmarnock and open the new year in style. Rangers still sit eight points adrift of Celtic with just two games in hand to make up the difference however – as things stand, it will be Brendan Rodgers lifting the Scottish Premiership once again.
Those at Ibrox could turn things around through the January transfer window though. They’ve already welcomed Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Fabio Silva on loan this month and could yet reportedly land another attacking reinforcement to add the firepower that Philippe Clement is crying out for at Rangers.
After Silva, it would have been easy to assume that Rangers were done with their search for strikers this month, content that the loanee could be the man to find some success when leading the line. Alas, it seems as though the Gers aren’t taking any chances, having turned their attention back towards other targets.
According to The Fourth Official, Lawrence Shankland wants to move to Rangers this month and those at Ibrox are willing to pay what they consider to be a fair price for the forward’s signature.
That offer is likely to fall far below Hearts’ £3m asking price, however, in what could prove to be a stumbling block in negotiations. Given that Shankland is reportedly unlikely to sign a new deal at the club, it must be said that Hearts’ hand may be forced with the 28-year-old’s deal entering the final 12 months from the summer transfer window.
As Rangers go in pursuit of preventing yet another Celtic title win, Shankland could make all the difference. The forward has enjoyed an excellent season at Hearts and has more than earned the interest of top clubs. Shankland’s goals tell the story of a striker at the top of his game, with 18 in all competitions highlighting just how clinical the Hearts captain has been in the current campaign.
Rangers’ top scorer this season is Abdallah Sima with 15 goals, but when it comes to number nines, Cyriel Dessers leads the way with just eight goals. If Clement can add the goals of Shankland to lead the line alongside Sima, then he may well break Celtic’s recent spell of dominance in the Scottish Premiership.
The forward has earned plenty of praise this season, including from Livingston boss David Martindale, who said, via The Irish News: “I look at him and compare him and he’s completely different from (Celtic striker) Kyogo but he’s slightly like (former Rangers forward Alfredo) Morelos. Lawrence has more in his overall game and a better mentality.
