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News
Celtic urged to move for ‘unstoppable’ 28-goal striker that Rangers reportedly want
Mark Wilson has urged Celtic to make a move for reported Hoops target Lawrence Shankland, a player also believed to be on the radar of Glasgow Rangers, in conversation with the .
With 28 goals in 33 games for Dundee United across all competitions, plus a debut strike for the Scotland national team, the 24-year-old has had quite a remarkable season.
Shankland’s efforts helped the Terrors go 14 points clear at the top of the Scottish Championship table, the club after the SPFL’s resolution to “call” the season passed.
Given his efforts, it’s little surprise to see him linked with the likes of Celtic and Rangers, with the reporting ahead of the January transfer window that they had been keeping tabs on him all season.
Former Tangerines ace Steven Thompson told in March that he would be surprised if the “really good finisher” with a “predatory instinct” was to stay at Tannadice beyond the summer.
“I don’t know if you’re going to get someone to knock Edouard off the perch and be the No1 striker but if you’re looking for an out-and-out goalscorer and someone who can convert chances to goals, you’ve got to say Shankland can do that,” Wilson wrote in the .
“I know he’s done it at a lower level but a goalscorer is a goalscorer. He’s 24, still a good age and has served his apprenticeship well at Aberdeen and St Mirren then built his confidence up at Ayr and now Dundee United. He’s unstoppable in front of goal just now and I tend to think with the amount of chances Celtic create, you would find it hard to believe he wouldn’t convert at least 20 of them a season.
“If you look at his record over the past seasons his goal return is remarkable and people say it’s a lower level but at Celtic you’re playing with better players who create just as many chances as players at United would.”
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Shankland has clearly been a cut above in the second tier of Scottish football and has helped his side back into the Premiership, not to mention breaking into the Scotland team.
Admittedly, the player did tell the in April that he was looking to line up against “all the top teams in the Premiership” next season, suggesting that he’s more likely to take to the Parkhead pitch as an opponent.
However, let’s face the facts – money talks, as does glory, and Celtic have a fair bit of both in their locker, so they shouldn’t be deterred from mounting a tempting bid complete with charm offensive to try to entice Shankland to Parkhead.