Arriving on loan from VFL Wolfsburg on Friday, Vaclav Cerny became the seventh signing at Rangers this summer.
But, make no mistake, the rebuild is not done yet.
Seven new faces or not, Philippe Clement’s house still has a bit of a draft. A few damp patches and the odd broken window here or there. If Rangers are to renovate a kingdom worthy of the Premiership champions, further millions must be spent reinforcing the walls and adding a fresh lick of paint to a building that had started to show serious signs of wear and tear.
For Barry Ferguson, the legendary Rangers skipper, there is still one obvious area of this Rangers squid in need of investment.
Despite the best efforts of Cyriel Dessers and James Tavernier, no Gers player realistically came close to breaking the 20-goal barrier in league action last term. In fact, only three reached double figures.
And one of those – Abdallah Sima – has since departed upon the expiry of his Brighton and Hove Albion loan deal.
Clement, meanwhile, insists that new forward Hamza Igamane is unlikely to start games straight off the bat in Glasgow, meaning Rangers still feel one striker short.
This, Ferguson feels, is where Lawrence Shankland comes in.
Rangers still keen on Hearts hitman Lawrence Shankland
Not only the SFWA Player of the Year but also the 2023/24 Golden Boot winner.
A guarantee of goals at this level, and potentially the sort of reliable match-winner capable of closing the gap between Rangers and their green-clad neighbours Celtic.
“All eyes will be on what’s going to happen with Lawrence Shankland and whether or not Rangers can come up with an offer which will tempt Hearts into doing business,” Ferguson tells the Daily Record, before hinting at an intriguing piece of insider knowledge.
“From what I hear, the interest is very real.
“The difficulty will be reaching an agreement on a price for a player who turns 29 next month and has only one year left on his current contract. Both clubs will have a firm opinion on his market value and they’re unlikely to be in the same ballpark.
“I just hope they manage to find a way to meet in the middle. This is a signing that would be good for all parties. I’ve been saying for some time now that Shankland has really grown on me as an all-round striker.
“And it feels to me as if this is the right time for him to make the big move.”
HITC understands that Shankland is indeed on Rangers wishlist, alongside QPR targetman and fellow Scotland international Lyndon Dykes.
The former’s Hearts contract runs out in 2025. As such, some have suggested a deal could be done for around £5 million, per the Edinburgh News.
Golden Boot winner last season
“I’m sure Clement has plenty of irons in the fire in terms of other targets,” five-time Scottish Premiership champion Ferguson adds. “He’ll be looking at centre halves, right backs and midfield players and there will be lots of options to consider.
“But proven goalscorers are harder to find. And Shankland is right there, in front of his nose.
“I have to be respectful here because he’s still a Hearts player and they have every right to look after their own best interests.
“They deserve credit for helping him to turn into the player he has become over the last couple of years. Hats off to Lawrence too because he’s worked hard to improve his game to the point that he’s become a Scotland international.
“But if a fee can be agreed that Hearts are happy to accept then it’s a no brainer as far as I’m concerned. In fact, Rangers would be crazy not to try to make it happen.
“If the supporters are feeling a bit frustrated and restless, then the sight of Shankland holding that scarf above his head might help to ease some of their anxieties because they know exactly what he will bring to the team.
“Goals – and plenty of them.
“So let’s just wait and see what transpires over the next couple of weeks because it seems to me that the manager’s big rebuild is only just beginning.”
Shankland scored 31 across all competitions last term, with 28 coming the season prior.
In fact, he has managed 28 or more in five of the last seven years now.
