Ex-Celtic ace urges Rangers-mad striker to snub Ibrox move – and reject Bhoys too

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Rangers and Celtic have both been linked with Lawrence Shankland.

Pundit and former striker Frank McAvennie has told The Courier that he thinks Lawrence Shankland should snub both Rangers and Celtic, and instead move to England.

Shankland, 24, was linked with a move to English football last summer when his Ayr United contract expired, having hit 62 goals in 73 games there.

However, he made the surprise decision to stick in the Scottish Championship and instead join Dundee United, and he’s been enjoying an unbelievable season.

Shankland has smashed 27 goals in just 28 games for Dundee United, whilst he’s even become a Scotland international since making the move to Tannadice.

Shankland looks set to fire Robbie Neilson’s side to promotion back to the Scottish Premiership this season, but whether he actually stays with them is another matter.

The Daily Record reported earlier this season that both Rangers – Shankland’s boyhood club – and Old Firm rivals Celtic had been tracking the striker, ahead of potentially making a move.

However, former Scotland striker McAvennie has suggested that he should snub both Old Firm sides for a move to England, believing he can become the latest Scottish success story south of the border.

McAvennie thinks that even if he fails in England, he would still be wanted at Rangers and Celtic, meaning he can come back to Scotland in the future – but does want to see him try and improve in terms of his quickness.

“Rangers and Celtic want him but I’d tell him to go to England,” said McAvennie. “We’ve got guys like Andy Robertson, John Fleck, John McGinn and Ryan Fraser doing really well down south, Shankland is the next one. If he does go to England, I hope he gets a running coach and does more sprints. He’s not the quickest and he’s not the slowest but I think he could really improve that part of his game. He’d be working with the top sports scientists and top-class conditioning coaches.”

“Ian McCall worked with him at Ayr and absolutely raves about him. He thinks he’s something special. Rangers and Celtic want him but if he goes down south and it doesn’t work out, he can come back to one of the Old Firm,” he added.