Lee McCulloch warns ‘cash rich’ Hearts will not do Rangers any favours with Lawrence Shankland transfer.
Former Rangers captain Lee McCulloch warned the club that “cash rich” Hearts will not be looking to do them any favours in a potential transfer involving Lawrence Shankland.
However, he did accept that the Jambos might be put in a “difficult situation” if the striker, 28, started pushing for a move to Ibrox.
Shankland has been linked with a January move to Glasgow, with Rangers in need of firepower with Danilo injured and Kemar Roofe having his own continued fitness issues, leaving Cyriel Dessers as the lone recognised out-and-out striker.
Speaking on the PLZ Soccer Show (22 December), McCulloch said: “I think the situation is, Hearts are pretty cash rich there’s a lot of money in the boardroom, so they won’t sell him short.
“But it will all come down to Lawrence Shankland as well. And that’s why I think if another team comes in let’s say and puts an offer in and his head’s turned it might put them in a difficult situation.”
There is absolutely no doubting the fact that Rangers need some forwards in January, even without the injuries to Danilo and Roofe there was a need for another striker given the summer recruitment did not exactly inspire confidence.
But without Danilo in particular, there was a real need for Rangers to enter the transfer market, and Shankland has proven he can score goals in the Scottish Premiership so you can see the allure.
Whether a deal can be struck really does remain unclear, though, and you cannot blame Hearts for playing hardball, particularly in the middle of a campaign where clubs are reticent to lose their best players and put premium prices on their prized assets.
Other options appear in the pipeline, Wolves youngster Fabio Silva has been mentioned this week, and ultimately it probably will come down to how much Shankland wants the move and whether he is willing to force the issue to make it happen.
