Hearts are readying a new contract offer for Lawrence Shankland after Steven Naismith branded the striker better than any finisher at Rangers.
The Scotland international, 28, is at the centre of much Rangers speculation with a stunning late winner v Hibs during the week only fuelling the fire.
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has now broken his silence over the striker’s situation, claiming that Hearts want to tie Lawrence Shankland down on a new contract.
Romano also appears to suggest that Rangers aren’t the only interested party in the Jambos talisman with “several clubs” tailing the striker.
The forward himself was also a tad sarcastic – although Shankland gave little away – when quizzed on a new deal after the Edinburgh Derby victory.
Lawrence Shankland “best finisher” amid Hearts contract talk
The striker is a talismanic figure at Tynecastle and if Hearts lose him in January – with Derek McInnes’ Kilmarnock challenging for 3rd place – it would represent a sizeable blow.
That’s precisely why Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlay has claimed only an “extraordinary” offer would tempt the club to sell in January.
Whilst Steven Naismith has been a little more realistic about the hitman’s situation, the Hearts boss claims that Lawrence Shankland is a better finisher than Ibrox striker Kemar Roofe or Celtic attacker Kyogo Furuhashi.
“Every team in Scotland will sell their players if they get offered a fortune,” said Naismith. “That’s fact.
“What we’ve got is, we’ve got a player who’s loved here, he enjoys it, as you can see because he’s scoring and playing really well.
“He’s got 18 months on his contract. While he’s at the club, we need to enjoy him.
“We’ll see down with Shanks at the right time and see if we can keep him at the club for longer, if that’s not the case he might be here for six months, he might be here 18 months, enjoy him while he’s here.”
Claiming that Shankland has matured in recent seasons: “I think his goal return is unbelievable but that’s his easiest part because he’s done it his whole career.
“His hold up play, his understanding of the game is miles from where it was. He understands the game, he’s now a leader, he’s been the captain.
“He’s an all-round centre-forward who I would argue is the best finisher in Scotland.”
Rangers bolster striker options with Fabio Silva
As the conversation around Lawrence Shankland and a new contract continues at Hearts, Rangers have bolstered their attack already ahead of the January window.
Bringing in Portuguese talent Fabio Silva on a six-month loan from Wolves, Philippe Clement is not expected to stop there on the hunt for new additions to his squad.
An out-and-out striker is still expected to be on the Belgian’s transfer wishlist with Fabio Silva very much a different type of attacker to the more well-rounded Lawrence Shankland.
Rangers are without Danilo for the foreseeable future, whilst Clement has hinted that contingency planning for Kemar Roofe’s situation is at the forefront of the club’s transfer thinking.
But whether or not the Ibrox side will plunge for the forward in this window – murmurs of a £5m valuation perhaps too rich for most to pay – the situation remains live.
A boyhood bluenose who has the Midas touch in front of goal at the moment, it’s a transfer that even the most sceptical supporters are starting to believe just feels right.
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