Rangers have been linked with Lawrence Shankland in the last few months, and recently the Ayr United striker posted a message which all but confirmed his departure from the Championship outfit. United recently lost the playoff semi-finals, and that means that they are going to stay in the Scottish second tier for another year.
https://twitter.com/Shankland_25/status/1129436002551050241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1129436002551050241&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hitc.com%2Fen-gb%2F2019%2F05%2F18%2Fceltic-rangers-linked-lawrence-shankland-posts-message-on-twitte%2F
The striker managed an impressive goal haul in the second division this season as he scored 34 goals in all competitions and provided with 8 assists to go with that. Shankland’s contract is set to expire with Ayr United in the next few weeks, and he is going to be available on a free transfer.
Reigning champions Celtic have also been linked with him in the past few months, and with a goalscoring record like that, he is going to be in demand in the transfer market. The forward had a short spell at Ibrox as he was at the club for around 10 months. The 23-year-old was once asked in an interview about his favourite stadium, and Shankland replied (The Scottish Sun), “Ibrox, when it’s full, is always some experience. Just walking out the tunnel to the noise always gives you shivers down your spine, it’s a great feeling.”
Therefore we feel that Rangers might have the edge over Celtic if they want to sign the striker in the summer. Rangers are currently being linked with Mirko Maric of NK Osijek, and Gerrard might have to shell out a few million to land the Croatian forward.
Why can Shankland be a decent bet for Gerrard?
On a free transfer, Rangers can get an out and out goal scorer. He might not be able to produce similar numbers which he managed in the second division, but as a squad player, Gerrard can rely on him. The forward is still just 23, and he can improve further from here onwards. Therefore Shankland looks like a no-risk signing to us.
Why might Rangers need a striker?
Recently Gerrard had reportedly lashed out at Kyle Lafferty for his poor performance against Liverpool’ u-23 in a friendly. Reports mentioned that the big forward could be shipped away in the upcoming summer transfer market. Alfredo Morelos will continue to attract interest in the transfer market, and if the right bid comes Rangers’ way, then they are likely to sell the Colombian striker as well in the summer. Therefore Rangers will need to replace them, and someone like Shankland can add depth and competition for places in the squad.
