Lawrence Shankland has completed his transfer to Rangers from Scottish Premiership rivals Heart of Midlothian. Both clubs state the transfer fee is for “undisclosed terms”. Shankland says he is fulfilling his “dream” of joining his “boyhood club”.
The 30-year-old Scotland striker has agreed a two-year deal at Ibrox with the option of a further 12 months. At Tynecastle, he scored 88 goals in 171 appearances across four campaigns.
Shankland’s Move Fulfills a Dream
Shankland captained Hearts to second place this season. They missed out on the title to Celtic on the final day, with Rangers in third, eight points behind Hearts.
Shankland told Rangers TV that playing for the club has “always been a dream”. He added, “The club are in a position where they want to get back to winning silverware more regularly and I want to be a big part of that, so that’s what I have come here to do.”
Rangers Aim to Capitalise on Shankland’s Goalscoring Record
Rangers head coach Danny Rohl said Shankland is a player with “proven quality, leadership and work ethic”. Rohl added that Shankland’s “goalscoring record in Scotland speaks for itself”.
Rohl believes Shankland understands the demands and expectations of playing for Rangers. He feels Shankland’s “character and experience will be a huge asset for the group.”
Immediate International Duty for New Signing
Immediately after completing his transfer, Shankland will join Steve Clarke’s squad for the World Cup. Shankland has scored four times in 18 Scotland outings.
Rohl said: “I wish him well at the World Cup this summer and look forward to welcoming him back to Glasgow during pre-season.”
Shankland’s Premiership Performance
Rangers have acquired the most prolific scorer in recent Premiership history. Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, Shankland has scored 72 times.
- This is 21 more than former Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi
- It is 27 more than outgoing Rangers captain James Tavernier.
This season, Shankland has been the Premiership’s second top scorer with 16 goals. He is one behind Tawande Maswanhise and level with Benjamin Nygren.
Shankland was out of contract at Hearts last summer before signing a three-year deal in late June. The former Queen’s Park, Aberdeen, Ayr United, Dundee United and Beerschot forward went on to hit 20 goals in 34 games in all competitions, including four against Rangers.
On the face of it, Rangers have acquired the most prolific scorer in recent Premiership history.