Rangers are on the verge of completing the signing of Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland, with the Scottish Premiership striker set to join the Ibrox club before he departs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Scotland.

Sky Sports News understands Shankland has agreed an initial two-year contract running until the summer of 2028, with an option to add a further 12 months.

A boyhood dream fulfilled

The 30-year-old is a lifelong Rangers supporter who began his career at Queen's Park alongside Andy Robertson. His path to Ibrox has been anything but straightforward — taking in spells at Aberdeen, Dunfermline, St Mirren, Morton, Ayr United, Dundee United, and Belgian side Beerschot before he arrived at Hearts in 2022.

Rangers triggered a clause in Shankland's current Hearts deal to secure the transfer, having failed to sign him last summer when he was a free agent. The striker opted to remain at Tynecastle Park on a new three-year deal at that point, but the Ibrox club have now moved decisively to bring him to Glasgow.

Shankland has been in outstanding form for Hearts, scoring 88 goals in 171 appearances across four seasons. He netted 24 league goals in each of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, and hit 20 goals this past season — including 16 in the Scottish Premiership — as Hearts narrowly missed out on a first top-flight title in 66 years on the final day of the season. Hearts' second-place finish earns them a place in UEFA Champions League qualifying.

The leader Rangers need

Rangers finished third in the Scottish Premiership under head coach Danny Röhl, and chairman Andrew Cavenagh has publicly stated the club must recruit players with the right mentality, while expressing a preference for Scottish Premiership experience and Scottish players during this transfer window.

Shankland fits that profile on every count. He is Scottish, he knows the league intimately, he contributes goals at a remarkable rate, and he captained Hearts with distinction. His leadership credentials make him a natural candidate to fill the void left by departing club captain James Tavernier.

Notably, Shankland scored 4 league goals in 3 games against Rangers during the season just ended — a record that will not have been lost on Röhl's recruitment team.

Other targets in Rangers' sights

Rangers have also held initial talks with representatives of Dundee defender Luke Graham. The 22-year-old impressed at Dens Park last season and has attracted interest from the English Championship as well as clubs across Europe and the United States. Dundee rejected a bid from Portsmouth in January and are preparing for further offers. No formal negotiations between the clubs have taken place yet. Graham is currently training with the Scotland squad ahead of a warm-up match against Curacao.

Midfielder Dan Neil, 24, is another player on Röhl's radar. The Sunderland player — who spent the second half of the season on loan at Ipswich — is out of contract this summer. Rangers made efforts to sign him in January, and interest remains, though Premier League and Championship clubs are also monitoring his situation.

Motherwell midfielder Elliot Watt, who made 42 appearances last season, is considered a potential target, though no talks have taken place with the Fir Park club.

Kelly to extend Rangers stay

Goalkeeper Liam Kelly is also closing in on a new two-year deal at Rangers, which would keep him at the club until 2028. The 30-year-old, who made just 3 appearances this season behind first-choice Jack Butland, has still secured a place in Scotland's 26-man World Cup squad. Kelly returned to Ibrox in 2024 having come through the club's academy, and previously had spells at Livingston, Queens Park Rangers, and Motherwell.

Rangers are expected to be heavily active in the transfer market as Röhl reshapes his squad ahead of next season.