Rangers might now seek to bring Lawrence Shankland into their lineup this summer.
The Scotland international has been repeatedly tied to a transfer to Ibrox over the past 12 months following an outstanding stint with Hearts.
It is fair to say that the 29-year-old has been one of the top performers in the Scottish Premiership since joining from Beerschot in 2022.
Now, a move to Govan could be in the works for the striker after a development emerged from Tynecastle before June concludes.
Shankland set to confirm Hearts exit:
The contract situation of the adaptable forward has been simmering beneath the surface for many months, with no resolution yet in sight.
This has seen Shankland strongly connected with a move to West Brom, but that seems to have faded at this point.
Consequently, this could allow Russell Martin’s team a chance to acquire the Scot as the new head coach aims to strengthen his squad, preparing for the new season.
The Light Blues’ manager has received a lift in the pursuit of the Maroons’ star after contract negotiations collapsed ahead of the month’s end.
This led the Scottish Mail on Sunday to report (29 June, back page) that there was a slight gap in demands between Hearts and Shankland, but the club refused to compromise.
This prompted a source close to the player to comment, saying: “Lawrence wanted to continue at Hearts but unfortunately, the chief executive, Andrew McKinlay, doesn’t share the same ambitions that he has for the club.”
As a result, the Gers could be in an ideal spot to seize the opportunity and sign the Scottish forward before another team snatches him up this summer.
Rangers can make Shankland swoop:
There is likely to be a demand for new attacking choices in Govan in the near future as Cyriel Dessers continues to be linked with a departure.
This would create a gap in the team that Martin would definitely need to address before the Scottish Premiership season begins.
Thus, the free transfer acquisition of Shankland at Ibrox could prove to be a smart move, considering how effective the Scot has been in front of goal in recent years.
68 goals across just three years in maroon is an impressive tally and could be repeated in blue moving forward.