Rangers could regain the title by signing the 31-goal star

Glasgow Rangers finished eight points off the top of the Scottish Premiership log after a 3-3 draw with Hearts away to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Light Blues failed to end the dominance of their rivals in this division and will now be aiming to avoid four years without winning a title when they return to league games next season.

Philippe Clement's side can still enjoy a successful end to the current campaign when they take to the pitch at Hampden Park on Saturday, as they look set to win their second trophy under the Belgian manager by beating Celtic in the SFA Cup final. .

They won the League Cup at the beginning of the season and now they will be competing for a double, which will help them face the pain of missing out on the Premiership title.

After this weekend's SFA Cup showdown, full attention will be paid to next summer's transfer window and how head of recruitment Nils Koppen can revamp his side to win this division in the 2024/25 campaign.

Rangers have been urged to sign the SPFL star

Former Scotland international and Rangers youngster Michael Stewart has urged the club to make a move for Hearts star Lawrence Shankland this summer.

Speaking on BBC Sportsound on Saturday (18/05/2024), the Scotland international said it would be a “ridiculous deal” for the Gers to pull off, as he is “much better” than number nine Cyril Dessers.

Back in February, Football Insider reported that the Light Blues were looking to double the signing of Shankland and the now-loan Abdallah Sima on a permanent move ahead of next season.

However, the outlet did not reveal, at the time, how much Hearts would want for their centre-forward, or how much the Gers were willing to pay for him.

It is claimed, by Football Insider, that the SPFL side wanted him for around £3m in the January transfer window, and that cost Rangers out of a deal at the time.

After a 3-3 draw with Hearts, Clement lamented his team's poor performance in front of goal as he noted three goals from ten shots aimed at his boys and three goals from four shots directed at the Jam Tarts.

This suggests that the Belgian head coach would be open to adding a new striker to his squad in the summer to improve the effectiveness of his front line.

Koppen must now do what is necessary, if it falls within the playing budget, to bring Shankland to Ibrox ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, given his fine goalscoring pedigree.

Why Rangers should sign Lawrence Shankland

The Scottish-born player is an experienced Premiership goalscorer with a high rate of goalscoring in Glasgow under Clement next season.

Instead of playing a foreign league player with no previous experience in Scotland, or a young player with little experience in first-team football at any level, Rangers could go out and get a striker who knows what to do. required to play in Scotland's top flight.

The 28-year-old star, who still has many years left in his prime, has made over 100 Premiership appearances, 100 Championship appearances, and 12 European appearances in his career so far.

Despite his extensive experience in Scotland, Shankland has also proven his quality in the league this season with an impressive return in front of goal.

The Hearts star, who has 31 goals and eight assists in 47 games in all competitions, finished the 2023/24 Premiership season with 24 goals in 36 league starts.

As you can see from the table above, Shankland enjoyed a successful afternoon against Rangers on Saturday as he created three chances and scored one goal with just 45 touches.

His goal was a delightful finish over Jack Butland after a good run in behind the Gers defense which was picked with the perfect ball, giving Clement a first taste of what he can bring to his side next season.

The Jam Tarts captain, whose campaign was hailed as “amazing” by journalist Josh Bunting, was crowned PFA Scotland Player of the Year for his efforts on the pitch, citing his outstanding quality in the final third.

Why Lawrence Shankland won the title for Rangers

Shankland could help Rangers win the title, if Koppen signs a contract, as he could put a bullet in front of goal that he has not been in this season.

The Gers finished the 2023/24 campaign with 87 goals, eight less than Celtic's 95, and their strikers left a lot to be desired with their finishing.

Incredibly, every Rangers center forward finished with a lower than xG (Goals Expected) rating as they all performed down in the final third.

As you can see from the table above, Clement has had a number of Premiership strikers this season, most notably his nine first-choice Dessers – who scored nearly six goals.

Although, Shankland exceeded his xG by nearly six goals, meaning, in theory, the Hearts striker could score between ten and 12 more goals than Dessers did given the quality of chances the Rangers man received.

Now, imagine a 31-goal scorer playing for Clement's side next season and having the same level of opportunities that Dessers has.

Given the evidence above, Shankland can thrive at Ibrox as he is a top quality player and that would greatly increase the team's output and efficiency in the final third.

This could give them the boost they need to continue winning the title ahead of Celtic next season, which is why Koppen could secure the Premiership title by signing him.