Kris Boyd has urged Rangers to consider pursuing transfers for Motherwell striker Kevin van Veen and Lawrence Shankland of Hearts this summer.
The Rangers legend is adamant Gers manager Michael Beale must strengthen the attacking options at Ibrox over the upcoming off-season.
Rangers have enjoyed multiple goalscorers so far this term with 18 players finding the back of the net. But only four of those have scored 10 or more across all competitions.
Boyd urges Rangers to consider signing Van Veen or Shankland
Right-back James Tavernier is also Rangers’ joint top-scorer with striker Antonio Colak with 17 goals each so far this season.
Yet Colak has only hit home 13 times in 24 Premiership games. He has only scored twice in his last 12 top-flight appearances.
But Van Veen and Shankland have been prolific for Motherwell and Hearts respectively for Boyd to urge Rangers to pursue the transfer of one or the other.
Boyd wrote in his column for The Scottish Sun: “To score 24 and 25 goals respectively for teams outside the Old Firm is no mean feat. I’ve [got] a lot of time for both and I genuinely think Rangers could do worse than consider signing one of them this summer.
“Michael Beale will need to bring in two elite-level frontmen if he wants to get closer to Celtic. But I would not be against Van Veen, even at the age of 31, or Shankland being that third, backup goalscorer.
“At the very least they should be part of the conversation at Ibrox in the coming months. Proven scorers in the league are worth their weight in gold and both of these guys know exactly where the net is.”
Van Veen or Shankland may have something to offer at Ibrox
Van Veen has scored 24 goals in 39 games so far this season with 20 in 33 of Motherwell’s Premiership fixtures.
Shankland, meanwhile, has scored 21 of his 25 goals in 32 Premiership matches from 42 appearances for Hearts in all.
Motherwell may consider cashing in on Van Veen’s efforts, though, with the 31-year-old out of contract in 2024. The Dutchman will also turn 32 on June 1.
Hearts are less likely to have to consider letting Shankland leave having given the 27-year-old a three-year contract upon his transfer from Beerschot in July 2022.
The five-cap Scotland international’s struggles in Belgium may also put Rangers off a move for Shankland. He only scored five goals in 28 games for the club.
Shankland and Van Veen would certainly do a job for Beale as a third striker at Rangers for league and domestic cup matches, though.
Their goals could, indeed, see Shankland or Van Veen be ‘worth their weight in gold’ with transfers to Rangers.
