Arriving on loan from VfL Wolfsburg on Friday, Vaclav Cerny became Rangers’ seventh signing of the summer. However, the rebuild is far from complete.
Despite the seven new additions, Philippe Clement’s squad still has areas that need attention. To transform the team into a squad worthy of Premiership champions, further investment is necessary to address lingering issues and reinforce the squad.
Legendary Rangers skipper Barry Ferguson points out that one key area still requires investment. Last season, despite efforts from Cyriel Dessers and James Tavernier, no Rangers player came close to reaching the 20-goal mark in league play, with only three players reaching double figures. Abdallah Sima, one of those who did, has since left following the end of his loan from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Clement has suggested that new forward Hamza Igamane may not start immediately, indicating that Rangers still need another striker. Ferguson believes that Lawrence Shankland could be the answer to this gap.
Rangers still keen on Hearts hitman Lawrence Shankland
Lawrence Shankland, the SFWA Player of the Year and the 2023/24 Golden Boot winner, is seen as a key figure who could help bridge the gap between Rangers and Celtic.
According to Ferguson in the Daily Record, there is serious interest in Shankland, and the challenge will be agreeing on a transfer fee for a player who will turn 29 next month and has only one year left on his current contract. Both clubs likely have different valuations, so finding a compromise could be tricky.
Ferguson hopes a middle ground can be reached, noting that Shankland has developed into a top striker and it may be the right time for him to make a significant move. HITC confirms that Rangers are interested in Shankland, as well as QPR’s Lyndon Dykes. With Shankland’s contract with Hearts expiring in 2025, a transfer fee of around £5 million has been suggested.
Ferguson acknowledges that while the Rangers manager will be exploring other options for different positions, proven goal scorers like Shankland are rare. He praises Hearts for developing Shankland into a Scotland international and believes that if an agreeable fee can be settled, Rangers should pursue the deal. Shankland’s potential addition could alleviate some fan frustration with his proven goal-scoring ability.
Shankland scored 31 goals across all competitions last season, following 28 the previous season, and has consistently hit 28 or more goals in five of the last seven years.