‘There Was a Deal There’ – Journo shares how close Rangers came to Shankland transfer

In the January transfer window, Jonny McFarlane acknowledged that a “deal there to be done” existed to get Lawrence

Shankland for the Rangers.

The Hearts striker was frequently linked to the Light Blues during the January transfer window, but they never took any

serious action to bring him to Ibrox this month—instead choosing to bolster other areas.

Journalist McFarlane of the Herald, however, has maintained that Rangers could have signed the 28-year-old in January had

they been prepared to pay Hearts’ asking fee. He believes they may now regret not adding to their forward options.

Speaking on the Rangers Review YouTube channel (1 February, 23:00) he said: “For me, I still think they could have done

with another striker, I think it’s the thing that everyone is talking about.

“I’ve been consistent on here in suggesting that Lawrence Shankland would have been the perfect fit for Rangers.

I get it would have been difficult. I get Hearts would have wanted a fair bit of cash, but there was a deal there to be done if

money was willing to be spent.”

Cyriel Dessers is the only acknowledged striker for Rangers going into the remaining Premiership games.

Fabio Silva has acknowledged he is not a traditional number nine, while Danilo, Kemar Roofe, and Abdallah Sima are all

expected to miss time due to injury.

Philippe Clement will have very few choices at Ibrox should Dessers sustain an injury, and he will probably have to play as a

false nine rather than a centre forward.

In addition to providing the goals needed to lead the Gers to the Premiership title this season and strengthening their long-

term alternatives, Shankland would have been the ideal answer to the Light Blues’ dilemma.

Rangers chose not to pursue that deal during the January window for whatever reason, and it will be intriguing to see if

Clement has chosen to increase the number of forward alternatives available to him.