Shankland Close to Joining Rangers
Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland is nearing a transfer to Scottish Premiership rivals Rangers. The 30-year-old Scotland forward has been consistently linked with the Ibrox club and is expected to become Danny Rohl's first signing of the close season.
Shankland captained Hearts to a second-place finish this season, with the Tynecastle side narrowly missing out on the title to Celtic on the final day. Since his arrival at Hearts in 2022, the forward has scored 88 goals in 171 appearances.
He ranks fourth on the Premiership's all-time scoring list with 77 goals, just one behind former Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos. Overall, Shankland has scored 236 goals in 494 club appearances and has netted four times in 18 international caps.
Shankland joined Hearts in 2022 following a year in Belgium with Beerschot. His previous Scottish Premiership experience includes spells with Aberdeen and Dundee United, as well as time in the lower leagues with Ayr United and Queen's Park. During his tenure at Aberdeen, he was loaned to Dunfermline Athletic, Greenock Morton, and St Mirren.
His most recent goal for Scotland came in the World Cup qualification-clinching victory over Denmark in November. Shankland was one of five strikers selected by Steve Clarke for Scotland's squad for this summer's World Cup finals.
Following Scotland's match against Curacao at Hampden on Saturday, the team will travel to the United States for a final warm-up game against Bolivia in New Jersey before competing in Group C matches against Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil. The first two group fixtures will be held in Massachusetts, with the final game taking place in Florida.
Analysis: Shankland the Leader Rangers Seek
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh recently emphasized the club's need for leaders, ideally Scottish veterans with experience and resilience. Although he did not explicitly mention Lawrence Shankland, the striker embodies these qualities. While Rangers were not lacking in goals last season—they outscored both Celtic and Hearts in the Premiership—they require additional steel and presence, which Shankland can provide.
Developments accelerated on Friday, indicating progress toward a deal. While Shankland has not yet signed and must still complete a medical, all indications point to an imminent agreement favorable to Rangers, though less so for Hearts.
Shankland is currently returning from holiday, and finalizing the transfer appears imminent. If completed, he would join Youssef Chermiti, Ryan Naderi, Bojan Miovski, and Danilo as attacking options under Danny Rohl. It is unlikely all will remain at Rangers by the season's start, with Shankland expected to be the primary striker.
Details of the transfer fee remain confidential. Both clubs avoid discussing a rumored break clause in Shankland's Hearts contract that could allow him to leave without a transfer fee, a scenario likely to anger Hearts supporters. Presently, the terms are described as an 'undisclosed fee' with Rangers having paid the required amount.
Shankland has a strong scoring record against Rangers, netting in a 2-0 win at Ibrox in September, scoring the winner against them in December, and twice more at Tynecastle in May. He also scored in a 3-3 draw in May 2024, as well as in 3-1 and 2-1 losses in November and October 2023 respectively. He is the most prolific Hearts scorer since the legendary John Robertson.
During Derek McInnes' tenure, Shankland scored 20 goals in a near-title-winning season, despite missing part of it due to injury. He is pushing to start for Scotland against Haiti in the World Cup opener.
For McInnes, Shankland's departure is a significant setback. At the end of the 2024-25 season, a prolonged salary dispute between Hearts and Shankland's representatives threatened his future at Tynecastle. Retaining Shankland was a priority for McInnes upon his appointment, and the two had developed a strong working relationship. That chapter now appears closed. Shankland's move to Rangers is shaping up to be the standout signing of the summer.
