For many Rangers fans, a failure to stump up for Lawrence Shankland cost the club the title.
In the January window, Rangers were crying out for striking reinforcements with Danilo out for the season, Cyriel Dessers misfiring and Kemar Roofe being Kemar Roofe.
Despite the insistence Rangers move for Lawrence Shankland, the club failed to bite with this year’s PFA Scotland and Football Writers’ Player of the Year firing Hearts to a comfortable 3rd place finish.
It would’ve cost Rangers somewhere in the region of £5M to sign Shanks in January, a paltry sum in comparison to the automatic Champions League dosh we’ve just missed out on.
Nonetheless, there are no guarantees in this game, well, except from Lawrence Shankland being linked to Rangers of a transfer window.
And once again the discussion is back up and running for the summer with the Scotland international being pressed on his future following the 3-3 draw with Rangers at Tynecastle.
No talks planned for Shankland contract
Speaking to BBC Scotland following the draw with Rangers, where Shankland scored his 31st goal of a monumental season, the striker wasn’t giving much away.
However the forward did confirm that there are currently no contract talks with Hearts scheduled, insisting instead that he is ‘happy’ on his current contract with the Jambos.
Whilst there’s no mention of Rangers, the striker is keeping his options open and will deal with any concrete interest as and when it’s made concrete.
For the time being however, it appears safe to assume that Lawrence Shankland won’t be signing a new contract with Hearts this summer and if no bids land, it looks like the forward is going to let his contract run down.
“I’ve got a year on my contract,” said Shankland. “So that’s as far as it goes in terms of meetings.
“I’m a Hearts player for another year. Until that changes, then we’ll see but I think everybody’s in the same position.
“We’ll see what the summer brings. If it brings nothing and I’m a Hearts player I’ll be delighted to be here on the contract that I’m on.
“If something comes up and there needs to be conversations had, then we’ll see.
“As I said, I’ve been pretty open about it, the club have been open about it, and it is just a case of seeing what happens here.
“But as I said it’s been a great campaign, I’m delighted with the work I’ve done this season and I’m going to enjoy a wee break just before the Euros.”
Rangers could miss transfer trick
Whilst there’s nothing new to report with regards Rangers and Lawrence Shankland, it would be foolish not to include the 28-year-old in any transfer discussion.
A proven big-game goalscorer with Hearts, Shankland has been amongst Scotland’s most prolific forwards all the way back to his days with Ayr United.
A boyhood bluenose too, there’s something romantic about a Rangers fan leading the club’s forward line which is hard to shake.
That’s not to say there’s sentimentality here.
If Rangers and Nils Koppen are to move for Lawrence Shankland it’ll be based entirely on merit but for the time being all the striker links are a little further afield.
Most recently, Rangers have been linked to Rapid Bucharest’s Kosovan hitman Albion Rrahmani as the club look to replace the outgoing Kemar Roofe.
Philippe Clement has promised changes at Rangers, and changes there will be.
But one is left wondering if Lawrence Shankland is just an easy link to make with Rangers or if the Ibrox side are genuinely considering plumping up.
Hearts hold all the aces when it comes to their talismanic hitman but even manager Steven Naismith admits that Shankland’s future in Gorgie remains unsettled.
