Rangers have been urged to sign Lawrence Shankland this summer, but a move might not happen. The 2025-26 campaign saw Rangers finish third in the Premiership behind Celtic and Hearts.
Some Rangers fans believe their club’s fate would have been different with someone like Shankland leading the line. Kris Boyd is among those who have encouraged the club to raid Hearts for Shankland.
McLeish Recommended Shankland to Rangers Years Ago
Alex McLeish has revealed that he floated the idea of signing Shankland to the Rangers hierarchy years ago. Reflecting on Rangers’ recent disappointment, McLeish admitted surprise that the club never pursued a deal for Shankland.
The former Rangers manager said he had advised an investor at the club to sign the centre-forward up a “few years back”.
Speaking to The Herald, McLeish said: “I can’t understand why they never went for Shankland. I told a pal of mine who is a big investor at the club that they should go for him a few years back.”
Rangers’ Transfer Strategy Under Scrutiny
The Glaswegian club reasoned that they would rather sign players aged 26 or below. McLeish believes that this strategy has not worked out.
McLeish said: “He told me, ‘They don’t want to sign players who are over 26’. They were bringing in young players with potential sell-on value from overseas, and I can understand the logic behind that, but some of the boys who have come in have just not been at the right level.”
Over the last few years, Rangers have focused on signing young players from other European countries with a view to selling them for profit later. The strategy has not yielded the required results for the club, neither contributing to major success, nor generating significant sums in transfer sales.
Could Shankland Be a Target This Summer?
Andrew Cavenagh has admitted there will be a pro-Scottish bias this time. There is also a desire to add leaders to the squad.
It would not be a surprise if Shankland is on the club’s transfer shortlist this summer.