Rangers failed with late bid for 31-goal forward, Scottish side put off by asking price for deal

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• EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey

HITC understands that Rangers were in talks over a deal on deadline day but refused to meet the asking price.

Rangers had a busy summer transfer window as the Scottish giants are trying to pip Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title but it is certainly not going well so far.

Philippe Clement’s side have had a poor start to the season and suffered a rather humbling 3-0 defeat to Brendan Rodgers’ side over the weekend.

However, things could have been different for Rangers this summer had they pulled off a potential deadline day swoop of Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland.

Rangers were keen on Lawrence Shackland this summer

HITC understands that Rangers were one of a number of teams that refused to meet Hearts’ asking price for Shankland, up until the final day of the transfer window.

HITC can reveal that Rangers were still in talks up until the final days of the window as they assessed the deal needed to bring Shankland to Ibrox.

However, HITC understands that Rangers, though, were working with transfer limitations and were put off by Hearts’ asking price for the striker.

HITC understands that Hearts were demanding in excess of £3 million – which given Shankland is out of contract next summer, was deemed too much for the Scottish side to spend with days remaining in the transfer window.

It’s been a struggle for Steven Naismith’s Hearts to put the ball into the back of the net this season, which is Shankland’s job.

This is a far cry from what the end of last season for Shankland was like with the Hearts ace netting eight times in the final three days of the season.

Hull City and Preston were also keen on Shankland

It wasn’t just Scottish sides who were keen on Shankland but indeed HITC understands that sides from the EFL Championship were keen.

Indeed, HITC can reveal that Championship sides Hull City and Preston North End were also keen, and were talking with Hearts going into the final days of the window – but they too were not willing to meet the Scottish side’s asking price.

Despite failing to find the net in six games in all competitions this season, the 2023/24 campaign was a huge success for the Scottish forward as he netted 31 times in 47 games for Hearts. Perhaps a January transfer will be on the cards.