Glasgow, May 26 (IANS) Lawrence Shankland has completed a move to Rangers F.C. from Scottish Premiership rivals Heart of Midlothian F.C., signing a two-year contract with the option of an additional year. The Scotland international will officially join Rangers when the transfer window opens on June 15 and becomes the club’s first signing of the summer.

Shankland spent the last four seasons with Hearts, where he established himself as one of the most consistent forwards in Scottish football. The 30-year-old scored 88 goals in 171 appearances for the Edinburgh club and captained the side in recent seasons.

Last season, he scored 20 goals in 34 matches across all competitions, including four goals against Rangers, as Hearts pushed for their first league title since 1960 before eventually finishing behind Celtic F.C.

Speaking after completing the transfer, Shankland said joining Rangers fulfils a childhood ambition.

“I am delighted to be here and to have this opportunity. Rangers is my boyhood club, and it has always been a dream to play here, so I was really keen to get it done,” he said in a statement released by the club on Tuesday.

“A lot of hard graft has gone into getting to this point, and I’m just really happy. The club are in a position where they want to get back to winning silverware more regularly, and I want to be a big part of that, so that’s what I have come here to do,” he added.

Shankland began his senior career with Queen’s Park F.C. before spells with Aberdeen F.C., Ayr United F.C., and Dundee United F.C. He also spent a season in Belgium with K. Beerschot V.A. before moving to Hearts.

Rangers head coach Danny Röhl welcomed the arrival of the experienced striker and praised his leadership qualities.

“We are delighted to have Lawrence join Rangers. He is a player with proven quality, leadership, and work ethic, and his goalscoring record in Scotland speaks for itself,” Röhl said.

“He understands the demands and expectations that come with playing for Rangers, and we believe his character and experience will be a huge asset for the group. I wish him well at the World Cup this summer, and look forward to welcoming him back to Glasgow during pre-season.”

Shankland has scored four goals in 18 appearances for the Scotland football team and has been included in the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

–IANS

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