Ibrox View: Rangers now have free run to seal transfer as striker admits he’s leaving

Rangers target Lawrence Shankland has admitted that he will be leaving Hearts once his contract expires.

According to Edinburgh News on 22 November, the Scotland international has already rejected two contract offers from the Tynecastle outfit.

Gers attempted to sign the 29-year-old over the summer and they are also keen on bringing him in the January transfer window. [HITC]

Shankland said: “Right now, at this moment in time, my contract will be finishing. I won’t have one at Hearts, so that indicates that you move on.

“That’s the situation where we’re at with the club. That’s where we left it. There is no contract on the table. That was an agreement we were happy to leave at that point. Both of us accepted it and moved on. That’s where it’s been since then.

“Regarding the contract, there’s not been any contact [since]. I think right now, as it stands, both the club and myself are comfortable where we’re at. In terms of talks, we’ll move forward and see how the next couple of months go. But more importantly than that, obviously everybody’s been concentrating on trying to improve things on the pitch. Once that’s done, I imagine we can worry about things off it.”

Rangers can look to sign Lawrence Shankland at a discount in January

Gers now have a clear opportunity to sign the Scotland international from Hearts due to his contract situation.

With his current contract set to expire at the end of the season, the 29-year-old has publicly stated he will not be extending his stay at Hearts, having already turned down two offers.

This development puts Hearts in a position where they might be compelled to sell him in January to secure a transfer fee rather than lose him for free in the summer.

The financial incentive to sell in January, combined with Rangers’ persistent interest in Shankland, could facilitate a move.

Hearts’ need to reinvest in their squad or benefit financially from his sale before he becomes a free agent might push them towards negotiating a deal with Gers sooner rather than later, especially given Shankland’s desire to move on and the lack of ongoing contract discussions.