Glasgow Rangers confirmed on Tuesday that long-serving central defender Connor Goldson has completed a permanent exit from Ibrox this summer.
The English titan has moved to Cyprus to sign for Aris Limassol and becomes the latest experienced ace to depart from Glasgow ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe, and Ryan Jack also left the Gers earlier this summer, when their contracts expired at the end of May.
Another experienced first-team player who could yet move on from Ibrox before the summer transfer window slams shut is centre-forward Cyriel Dessers.
The Daily Record recently reported that Italian side Cagliari have a concrete interest in the Nigerian attacker and that it would take a bid of more than £4m to secure his services.
Dessers scored 16 goals in the Scottish Premiership in his first season in Glasgow. However, the 29-year-old dud also missed a staggering 27 'big chances' in front of goal, which shows that he did not make the most of the high-quality opportunities that were created for him.
With this in mind, it makes sense why Rangers are now reportedly weighing up a move to sign a new centre-forward to bolster the squad this summer.
Rangers eyeing up Premiership star
According to the Daily Record, Philippe Clement is considering a swoop to sign Hearts number nine Lawrence Shankland to improve his options at the top end of the pitch.
The report claims that the Scottish giants are 'locked' in internal talks over a potential deal to sign the Scotland international, as they debate the pros and cons to moving for him.
It states that the board have made it clear to Clement that the funds are available to him if he wants to press ahead with a bid for the Premiership star, after the club banked £2.8m from the sale of Sam Lammers.
The Daily Record adds that the Light Blues are hoping that an offer of £3m will be enough to tempt the Jam Tarts to cash in on their skipper, whose contract is due to expire at the end of next season.
It is not straightforward, though, as Clement is said to have had previous doubts over whether or not Shankland has the athleticism to lead a team that wants to press high. However, the manager is reconsidering his doubts after watching his team fail to win the league or the SFA Cup at the end of last term.
If Rangers do eventually decide to pursue a deal for the Scottish marksman then they could land an exciting partner for new signing Vaclav Cerny in the final third.
What Vaclav Cerny could bring to Rangers
The Czechia international is a talented right-sided attacker who has the potential to provide plenty of quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Gers.
He is on loan at Ibrox until the end of the 2024/25 campaign and will be hoping to get back to his best at the top end of the pitch after a slightly disappointing year in the Bundesliga.
Cerny joined Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023 and ended last season with a return of four goals and zero assists in 22 appearances in the German top-flight.
The 26-year-old whiz failed to showcase the best of his attacking qualities on a regular basis in Germany, after his superb exploits in the Netherlands during the 2022/23 campaign.
Cerny played for FC Twente in the Eredivisie before his move to Wolfsburg and produced consistent quality in the final third, as both a scorer and a creator.
Appearances
32
Goals
13
Assists
11
Big chances created
17
Key passes per game
2.4
Dribbles completed per game
2.0
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed star hit double figures for both goals and assists from a right wing position in the 2022/23 season.
These statistics suggest that the potential is there for him to be a prolific scorer who can also consistently unpick opposition defences to create high-quality chances for his teammates to find the back of the net.
No Rangers midfielder or winger made more than 1.7 key passes per game in the Premiership last term, which indicates that Cerny could improve the level of creativity Clement gets from his options in midfield and out wide.
Why Shankland would thrive with Cerny
Shankland, who was once lauded as "clinical" by journalist Euan Robertson, is an exceptional finisher who could make the most of the winger's creativity.
The Scotland international would come in as a player with the ability to hit the ground running as he has already proven himself in the Premiership.
He won the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 campaign, thanks to his terrific performances on the pitch, and this speaks to the quality the forward can offer at that level.
Appearances
37
35
Goals
24
16
Big chances missed
9
27
Conversion rate
18%
16%
As you can see in the table above, Shankland could be far more impressive than Dessers when it comes to finishing off chances that are created for him.
The Hearts star scored eight more goals than the Nigerian striker whilst missing a staggering 18 fewer 'big chances' in front of goal for his side.
These statistics suggest that Rangers would immediately improve their starting number nine by ditching Dessers to Cagliari, or elsewhere, and swooping to sign Shankland from their Premiership rivals.
His incredible goalscoring statistics also indicate that he would be the perfect player to play alongside Cerny at the top end of the pitch at Ibrox next term.
The Czechia winger has the potential to consistently create high-quality chances for his teammates and Shankland has the finishing quality to make the most of that, which could make them a deadly duo for Clement in the top-flight next term.
Rangers have genuine interest in move for huge McCausland upgrade
The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the English forward.
ByDan EmeryJul 30, 2024
Therefore, the Belgian boss should decide to press ahead with a deal for the Scottish forward, as he could be an excellent and much-needed addition to the forward line.