Glasgow Rangers supporters will be able to enjoy watching Scotland at the World Cup with even more pride this summer thanks to the involvement of Lawrence Shankland and Findlay Curtis.
The pair scored three goals between them in a 4-1 win over Curaçao recently, shortly after Shankland was officially signed by Hearts on a permanent deal.
Danny Rohl will be hoping his two strikers can make a splash in the competition and return to Ibrox full of confidence to hit the mark at the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
Shankland, of course, has scored 16 goals in the Scottish Premiership for the Jam Tarts this season, more than any Rangers player, and looks set to be a top performer this summer.
The Scot is a proven goalscorer in the Premiership and should, in theory, be a very low-risk signing for the Light Blues to strengthen their attack.
Rangers have an advantage in the race to sign the Premier League striker
Shankland scored 88 goals in 171 games for Hearts in all competitions before moving to Ibrox, and will be hoping to put up similar numbers in Glasgow.
The veteran will turn 31 later this year, and the Gers are expected to look for a young striker who could be a better signing for the club.
It was reported last month that Rangers, Middlesbrough, Stoke, and Birmingham are all interested in signing Leeds United striker Joel Piroe, who is said to be available for up to £10m.
Now, Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe, who was vice-chairman at Ibrox until February, has opened the door to a transfer between the two clubs before the summer, suggesting the Gers could have a chance in the race to sign Piroe.
When asked if there could be agreements between the two teams, he said: “Absolutely, because maybe we can help affect the opportunity and ability of the players to play.”
Marathe added: “Make sure that we know that the system is compatible, make sure that we know that the medical side is ready for him, coach, because we have a lot of knowledge about everything, rather than taking a player out without knowing how he is. [going to look].”
The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that Celtic’s interest in Piroe in January has left Rangers and Leeds confused, due to their ownership links, and that the Suriname international could be on his way out of Elland Road this summer.
Why Joel Piroe would be a better player than Lawrence Shankland
The Light Blues seem to have a big advantage compared to their rivals, especially Celtic, because Marathe says he can ‘influence’ a move to Rangers to give them a chance to play.
Piroe has only started two Premier League games for Leeds this season, suggesting he needs to return to playing football, and a permanent move to Glasgow will give him the chance to play regularly.
The Dutch-born striker’s record at Championship level in the four seasons leading up to the 2025/26 campaign suggests he has the potential to improve even more than Shankland.
Piroe averaged 18 goals per season in those four years, surpassing his xG in all campaigns, while Shankland has scored 72 goals in four Premiership seasons.
The Scotland international, however, scored just eight goals at 8.21 xG in the 2024/25 Premiership campaign for Hearts, and it remains to be seen which version of the striker Rangers will see at Ibrox.
Piroe provided more consistency at Championship level, never dropping below double figures in goals, winning the Golden Boot with 19 goals in the 2024/25 campaign in his final season at that level with Leeds.
The £10m star, described as “clinical” by journalist Josh Bunting, may be more likely to provide consistently in front of goal as a finisher, given his exemplary record with Leeds and Swansea in the Championship in recent seasons.
He is also four years younger than Shankland and, in theory, could have four seasons worth of goals to offer the Light Blues than the former Hearts captain.
That would mean, in terms of his Championship goalscoring average, an extra 72 league goals as a Rangers player, if he remains consistent as he was in England’s second tier and Piroe and Shankland have similar career lengths.
Therefore, the Leeds centre-back would be a better signing than Shankland due to his age, clinical finishing, and consistent goalscoring record, hence the link between Rangers and Leeds could help the club make a smart signing.
Shankland Recap: The Rangers could sign one of the best players in the league
Fresh from signing Lawrence Shankland, Rangers are looking to sign another Scottish Premiership star.
