Hugh Keevins has been debating with a Rangers fan live on air about the club’s January signing of Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland.
After the poor form of Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers, the Gers have been tipped to sign a new striker in January, with Shankland being mentioned as an obvious option given his form this season.However, when a fan called Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on November 17 to discuss the signing of Shankland, Keevins was quick to point out that Hearts would not be willing sellers.
“I think it’s the strength in depth,” he said. “I think you’ve got to think towards next year as well.
“Obviously I would love to get Sima on a permanent deal but I think that’s pie in the sky, he’s going to be £8-12m to get hold of him permanently.
“Roofe is probably finished if we’re really honest about it and Dessers doesn’t look like he’s going to turn the corner any time soon. So that leaves you with Danilo up front. You need someone else up there and I think Lawrence Shankland is as good a shout as anybody.”
But Keevins wasn’t so sure it would be that easy, with Hearts unlikely to be willing to sell their captain.
“The other thing we have to bear in mind here, he is Hearts captain and Hearts have just released financial figures which by their standards are exceptional,” he said.
“They have an obligation to their supporters, they’ve had their ups and downs and they tend to blow hot and cold. They can’t just say we’ll take the main man and sell him to Celtic or Rangers.
“You’ve got to take into consideration your own fans and how they feel about it.”
Obviously Hearts won’t be willing sellers in January, because Shankland is by far their best player and it’s the middle of the season.
But the player himself would no doubt be keen to join Rangers considering the step up in level it would be, but also we have the finances to make a deal doable.
Dessers and Lammers were expensive signings but likely don’t have a long-term future at the club, while the likes of Roofe, Scott Wright, Jose Cifuentes and more will have their futures up in the air too.
That could generate cash to bring Shankland in, and his goals and quality in the striker position could be the difference between us really pushing Celtic for the title or falling short once again.
He’s the obvious option to improve our squad and offer us a reliable goalscoring threat up front, and provide competition with Danilo for the position, so it’s a deal that the club should definitely be exploring.
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