Lawrence Shankland Returns to Rangers: A Game-Changer for the Club
Lawrence Shankland is cutting his holiday short. Not for a family emergency, not for Scotland duty – for Rangers.
The Hearts captain is flying back to Glasgow to undergo a medical and complete a move to the club he grew up supporting, a deal that could reshape the Ibrox dressing room on and off the pitch. At 30, Shankland is set to sign a two-year contract with an option of a third, and he will arrive for nothing thanks to a clause in his Hearts deal that allows him to leave for free.
For Rangers, it is a rare combination: a proven Premiership goalscorer, a boyhood fan, and a free transfer. For Hearts, it is the loss of their talisman and captain without a fee.
A captain walking into a captaincy debate
Shankland’s move does more than add another striker to the squad. It cuts straight into the leadership question at Ibrox.
Reports suggest the Scotland forward could overtake centre-half Emmanuel Fernandez and midfielder Nicolas Raskin in the race to become the club’s next captain once he signs. That is a remarkable prospect: a new arrival, straight from a domestic rival, walking into one of the most scrutinised armbands in British football.
Rangers want goals, but they also want presence. Shankland offers both. The decision on the captaincy will say plenty about how the new hierarchy sees this squad evolving.
Defensive rebuild: Luke Graham on the radar
While Shankland edges closer, Rangers are being pushed into a fight for the future of their back line.
Dundee centre-half Luke Graham, 22, is a live target, but the message is clear: if Rangers want him, they must outbid Portsmouth. The English club had an offer knocked back in January and remain in the frame. Graham fits the profile of the kind of defender Rangers have lacked in recent seasons – younger, with resale value, and time to grow.
Whether the Ibrox board is prepared to win that financial arm wrestle will reveal how aggressively they intend to back their recruitment plans this summer.
Gassama interest still simmering
Out wide, Djeidi Gassama’s situation remains intriguing. Rangers turned down a loan-to-buy offer worth £10m from Monaco in January, a bold refusal given the fee on the table.
That stance has not killed the possibility of a similar structure this summer. Both the 22-year-old winger and Rangers are said to be open to revisiting a loan with an obligation or option to buy. If that happens, the club will need to decide whether Gassama is a cornerstone of the next cycle or a saleable asset to be cashed in at the right moment.
Dan Neil talks on the way
Midfield, too, is under review. Dan Neil, out of contract at Sunderland after ending the season on loan at promotion-winning Ipswich Town, is set for talks with Rangers.
The 24-year-old has just helped Ipswich into the Premier League, a platform that usually inflates value and expectations. Rangers, though, can offer something different: European football, a title race, and a central role in a rebuilding job. Whether that is enough to lure him north will depend on how convincing the club’s pitch really is.
Gelhardt chase complicated by Hull’s rise
Not every target looks straightforward. Joe Gelhardt, who hit 14 goals on loan at Hull City this season, is admired at Ibrox, but Hull’s promotion to the Premier League has changed the landscape.
The Tigers’ new status strengthens their hand and makes any Rangers move more complicated. Leeds United still own the 24-year-old forward, yet Hull’s rise gives them both the financial power and the sporting argument to keep him in England’s top flight. For Rangers, it turns what might have been an opportunistic move into a far tougher negotiation.
Celtic: Iheanacho settled, Saracchi heading home
Across the city, Celtic’s plans are taking a different shape.
Kelechi Iheanacho has made his intentions clear: he wants to stay. The Nigeria striker, 29, is under a deal that Celtic can extend by another 12 months if they choose. With that desire publicly confirmed, the decision now sits firmly with the club. Keep him and build around his experience, or look elsewhere and free up wages for a younger option.
On the left flank, Marcelo Saracchi is on his way back to Boca Juniors for the second half of their season. Talks to make his loan stay in Glasgow permanent have stalled, and the Argentine will return home rather than become a long-term piece of Celtic’s back line. It leaves Celtic with a gap to fill at left-back and one fewer variable in their summer puzzle.
Hatate tension claim and Devine watch
Off the pitch, there is noise around Reo Hatate. Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has claimed the Japan midfielder is currently out of the team because of a fallout with interim manager Martin O’Neill. The club has not publicly confirmed that version of events, but the situation adds another layer of uncertainty around a player who has often been central to Celtic’s rhythm.
Further forward, Celtic are monitoring the future of Alfie Devine. Preston North End have until 1 June to trigger a £4.5m clause to turn his loan from Tottenham Hotspur into a permanent deal. If they hesitate or walk away, Celtic are ready to step in. A young, versatile attacker, Devine fits the kind of profile the club has targeted in recent windows.
Old Rangers link, new international stage
One familiar Ibrox subplot has resurfaced in an unexpected corner of the world.
Juninho Bacuna, now at Volendam, has reflected on his brief spell at Rangers, saying Steven Gerrard’s departure disrupted his chance to truly establish himself at Ibrox. The 28-year-old is now preparing to help Dick Advocaat – another former Rangers boss – as Curacao face Scotland in a World Cup warm-up this month. A reminder of how often Rangers’ recent past intersects with the present, even thousands of miles away.
Aberdeen decisions and McBurnie’s stance
Further north, Aberdeen face a call on Kusini Yengi. The 27-year-old striker believes he can still fight his way into new manager Stephen Robinson’s plans if he returns this summer. His loan at Cerezo Osaka ended early through injury, and the J-League club are unwilling to pay a fee to keep him. If Aberdeen choose to cancel his contract, a permanent move to Japan could still happen. If not, he will report back to Pittodrie with a point to prove.
At Hull City, Oli McBurnie has drawn a line under any suggestion of a rift with Scotland head coach Steve Clarke after being left out of the World Cup squad. The striker insists there are “no hard feelings,” a calm response in a week when international omissions have stirred plenty of debate.
Managerial carousel: Martin on the move, Keane in play
In the dugout, the managerial carousel is already spinning.
Former Rangers head coach Russell Martin has travelled to Italy and Spain to hold talks with clubs over potential roles, while Leicester City, reeling from relegation to League One, also want him. His next step will be watched closely in Scotland, given his Ibrox past and his growing reputation in England.
Robbie Keane, meanwhile, has stepped away from Ferencvaros after finishing second in Hungary behind Gyori ETO. “The time is right for me to move on,” he said as he resigned, a line that will only fuel talk around him and the Celtic job. With the Parkhead position linked to his name, his availability adds another twist to a summer already loaded with intrigue.
Shankland’s return flight to Glasgow may be the headline today, but across Scotland’s two giants and beyond, the real story is clear: this is a summer that will reshape squads, careers, and perhaps the balance of power itself.
