Lawrence Shankland to Rangers years in the making after not-so-subtle previous hint
Lawrence Shankland looks set to finally join Rangers from Scottish Premiership rivals Hearts in a transfer that has been years in the making.
The Scotland international is reported to have reached an agreement already over becoming the Gers’ first signing of the summer.
Rangers are acting fast to rectify a terrible 2025-26 season that saw the Light Blues finish third in the Scottish Premiership and without any other silverware.
Shankland was superb for Hearts once again as the Jam Tarts finished above Rangers but fell just short of a magical title triumph.
And based on Shankland’s previous comments amid links to Rangers, the imminent deal should come as no surprise.
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What has Lawrence Shankland previously said about Rangers transfer talk?
Shankland has cut short his holiday to join Rangers, with confirmation of the transfer set to arrive in the next 48 hours.
The Hearts skipper is no stranger to being linked with Rangers, having been on the Glasgow club’s radar for as number of years now.
| Statistics | Lawrence Shankland |
| Appearances | 29 |
| Goals | 16 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Big chances created | 4 |
| Shots on target per game | 1.3 |
Rangers have been unsuccessful with attempts to sign the 30-year-old in the past, but he will now join and instantly upgrade Danny Rohl‘s attack.
Shankland has been asked about links with Rangers in the past, including in 2024 when he dropped a subtle hint he would be open to the move one day.
“I have still got ambitions to get to a level. In football you always find your level,” he told The Herald two years ago.
“Then you get to a level and say, ‘Right, I wasn’t good enough there’. I don’t feel like I have got to that level that I am not good enough.
“It would be nice to kick on, see how far I can go in the game, try and play at a higher level than this. We’ll see what it brings. But I would never be disrespectful to what I have got at Hearts.”
Shankland went on to sign another new contract at Tynecastle, but it appears he will now get his wish of testing himself at that next level mentioned.
Rangers transfer approach now very clear
After a rather disjointed first summer transfer window at the helm for Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers, Rangers will not be making the same mistake this time around.
The Gers chief wants to bring in more Scottish players, which will go down very well with the fanbase.
And that has already proved the case with this Shankland deal seemingly very close to being announced.
More homegrown players now look set to follow Shankland through the door at Ibrox.
Derek McInnes has been tipped with the Rangers job pretty much as Shankland has himself been linked with a move to Glasgow, meanwhile, but that doesn’t look like happening anytime soon.
Rohl has been given the backing of Cavenagh and he already has a real gem – or a “diamond” as Ryan Stevenson put it – to lead his line in 2026-27.
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