As Rangers faced off with Hearts in Saturday’s Scottish Premiership opener, there was no shortage of talking points.
How would some of Philippe Clement’s new recruits cope when thrown into the Tynecastle cauldron? Well, pretty impressively all things considered.
The Rangers boss thought Connor Barron showcased his qualities on a promising first competitive start. Arguably the stand-out performer.
Clement was also impressed by the way Wolfsburg loanee Vaclav Cerny adapted to proceedings when appearing off the bench in the second half.
Another pre-match discussion point, meanwhile, was the potential battle between Cyriel Dessers and Lawrence Shankland.
The current Rangers striker and – if you believe the rumours – the man who may yet take his place in Clement’s XI.
Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland still linked with Rangfers switch
The reports linking Shankland with a move to Ibrox reared their head again in midweek. And while Hearts boss Steven Naismith was quick to play them down, Chris Sutton is not the only pundit who has heard something on the grapevine.
“Everything which I am hearing is that Shankland wants the move to Rangers,” Sutton said on Sky Sports (3 August, 12pm) just before kick-off, echoing what former Ibrox skipper Barry Ferguson told the Daily Record recently.
“And I think it will be an upgrade on the centre-forwards which they have got at the moment. I know Dessers scored last season, but I think Shankland is a more ruthless finisher. A better finisher.
“I think he is more reliable, and it would be a good move for him. By all accounts, he is a Rangers fan.”
Shankland was born in Glasgow but progressed through the Queens’ Park youth system.
Now one of the most prolific goalscorers in British football, the 28-year-old not only won the Premiership’s Player of the Year award last season, he also took home the Golden Boot.
A tally of 24 league goals – 31 in all competitions – meant Shankland finished seven ahead of James Tavernier and eight clear of Dessers in the final standings.
And while neither player managed to break the deadlock in Edinburgh – Shankland denied by the excellent Jack Butland while Dessers let himself down again with his lack of ruthlessness – Sutton feels that Rangers may need to dip into the market again if they are to challenge Celtic at the top of the table.
Cyriel Dessers draws a blank at Tynecastle
“I think it’s interesting. He shows composure to create the opportunity and he is quite good at that. We know he likes to chop (inside),” the former Hoops hitman added at full-time.
“But, in the crucial moment which is the finishing touch, that’s when essentially as a striker you need to have that composure.
“And that’s when he really lacks at that.”
Reports suggest that Shankland is valued at around £3 million.
Hearts, try as they might, have failed to tie the former Dundee United hotshot down to a new deal. His contract expires next summer. As such, this is Hearts’ last chance to sell for a considerable sum, with the risk of a free-transfer exit very real.
At the age of 28, it may also be Shankland’s last chance to secure a move to a club capable of fighting for silverware while offering European football.
Ex-Gers poacher Kenny Miller, meanwhile, shares Sutton’s view that Shankland would be an upgrade on the inconsistent Dessers.
