Rangers fans to be ecstatic with game-changer Lawrence Shankland transfer from Hearts

 

Rangers fans will be “ecstatic” if Philippe Clement goes through with a move to sign Lawrence Shankland before the transfer window shuts, says Alan Rough.

 

The ex-Scotland keeper told PLZ Soccer’s The Football Show on 29 July the Tynecastle striker was “the big one” for the Light Blues market and would signal real intent if the cash can be found.

According to the Daily Record, also on 29 July, the money for a Shankland bid is now available after Sam Lammers’ sale to FC Twente if Philippe Clement wants to use it there, and Tam McManus believes it would be a “game-changer” at Ibrox.

 

Rough said (24m): “The big one for me is Shankland. That would be a notice of intent for me. If he finds enough money to buy Shankland then Rangers supporters will be ecstatic.”

 

McManus said: “I believe Hearts are thinking to themselves, ‘We’re prepared to keep him and let him go for nothing’. But if Rangers put in £2m, £2.5m, £3m are they going to knock that back just to have him for one season?”

When Peter Martin pointed out the Jambos are adamant they want as much as £5m McManus replied: “For a player with one year left they’re never getting it, Peter.”

 

He later added: “Shankland’s a game-changer for Rangers. If Shankland comes to Rangers the whole complexity of it changes. I think Rangers supporters start thinking, ‘We might have a 25-30 goals-a-season striker now’.”

Philippe Clement has big Rangers transfer decision

The issue for Gers supporters who would like to see the 28-year-old arrive at the club is that if Hearts don’t get their top-level fee then Rangers quite possibly won’t get their man.

If Clement has been hesitant to move for the Scotland international thus far, with the view among some senior figures at the club that he doesn’t fit the Belgian’s pressing style [Rangers Review, 24 July], then it is unlikely he would pay the full amount.

 

There is a decent argument to say that maybe he should since the forward would pay it back inside a season if he maintained his Jambos form and fired the Gers to the title and into the Champions League.

Just as Steven Naismith is clear that Shankland is worth more to them in qualifying for Europe with his goals than a reduced fee now [Edinburgh Evening News, 24 July] the same should apply for the Light Blues.