Rangers are making an official bid for their next signing Connor Goldson

How do you get over Glasgow Rangers’ disappointing end to the season? Well, by signing a statement, of course.

It’s hard to think of a more exciting marquee addition at Ibrox in recent times, with Lawrence Shankland proving to be everything Gers fans have been craving.

An experienced striker, proven in the Premiership, who has delivered the goods many times wearing a Hearts shirt, almost took Jambos to the top of the captaincy.

It wasn’t for the 30-year-old, even if he scored the first goal on the last day at Celtic Park, but he could be the catalyst for Rangers’ title push next season.

Hopefully, too, sending the Scotland international off Tynecastle is just the start of a seismic summer for Danny Rohl’s side.

Rangers are considering a formal bid after signing Shankland

Rohl’s position appears secure at Ibrox and the club’s management are taking no chances when it comes to strengthening his squad, with Shankland signing on the dotted line on Tuesday ahead of his upcoming World Cup campaign.

The former Dundee United man has joined on a two-year deal with a third option, the first example of Andrew Cavenagh’s push to pursue proven Scottish or SPFL additions this summer.

That search has also piqued the interest of former Gers player Josh Windass, who is in early talks ahead of a reunion with Rohl in Glasgow.

A concrete move appears to be in the works, however, as the Daily Record reports that the Old Firm side are also studying a formal bid for Dundee’s Luke Graham.

According to the report, the Rangers have been eyeing the 22-year-old since the start of the year, and Rohl is said to have given the green light to increase the interest.

The young full-back was the subject of a £1.5m bid from Portsmouth in January, with Steven Pressley’s side looking to top that figure.

Why Graham could be the center back the Rangers have been waiting for

The defensive center has seen a lot of turmoil over the past few years, not least following the departure of Connor Goldson in the summer of 2024.

The defender was a mainstay in the title-winning side in 2020/21, while he proved to be something of an asset under Giovanni van Bronckhorst the following season, as the club reached the Europa League final and won the Scottish Cup.

Not a flashy, eye-catching defender, Goldson was a “hero” in that backfield, in Gerrard’s view, proving something of a bargain after joining in a £3m deal from Brighton in 2018.

Emmanuel Fernandez, who arrived for the same fee from Peterborough, has helped to fill Goldson’s place in some ways this season, but the side are still posting too many goals, conceding at least twice in the last seven league games of the campaign.

Rohl’s side need a reliable, no-nonsense man to set things right, and Graham could be that, the Dundee man is a monster in his own right at 6 foot 4.

A centre-back by trade, the left-footer – like Goldson – can drop in at the back if required, and that flexibility could be vital considering the lack of depth outside of Tuur Rommens at left-back.

Like Goldson, the key to Graham’s game is how dangerous he is in the opposition box as he scored eight goals while playing against Dundee, Montrose and Albion Rovers.

In Goldson’s case, the 33-year-old has been a regular at Ibrox, scoring 23 times in 309 appearances, which is a respectable return for any defender, it must be said.

First and foremost, however, Graham is a duel-winning machine at the back, winning 67% of all his duels and 70% of his aerial games this season in the Premiership.

In comparison, back in 2020/21, Goldson recorded a similar average of 71% and 72%, respectively, in those two identical metrics, helping Gerrard to 26 clean sheets in his 38 starts.

That’s the level the Gers need to get back to, and young Graham could be the man to help them do just that.

After running through the full backs with little success, be it Robin Propper, Nasser Djiga and Derek Cornelius, the Dundee sensation could provide that much needed stability again, as Goldson did before him.