“A sizeable fee” – Middlesbrough warned about Celtic target:

•  Scottish striker Lawrence Shankland has impressed in the Scottish Premiership and is now attracting interest from Championship and Premier League clubs.
•  Pundit Carlton Palmer raises concerns about whether Shankland can replicate his success in the Championship, but acknowledges his talent and goal-scoring ability.
•  At 28 years old, Shankland’s potential move to England is seen as a pivotal moment in his career, and he could be a valuable signing for the interested clubs if the price is right.

Scotland international Lawrence Shankland has impressed in the Scottish Premiership for Hearts this season and has been linked with a move to the Championship.

HITC have reported that second tier clubs such as Hull City, Southampton, and Middlesbrough are all keen on the striker. However, they’ll face stiff competition with Scottish giants Celtic interested in the 28-year-old, along with Premier League clubs such as Burnley, Crystal Palace, Everton and Sheffield United.

There has long been debate about whether players in the Scottish Premiership would be able to recreate their impressive form north of the border in England, but Shankland appears to be someone that could and has also performed well on the international stage with Scotland, scoring twice in seven international appearances.

The 28-year-old began his career with Queen’s Park, before earning a move to Aberdeen. Permanent spells at Ayr United and Dundee United followed, before spending a season in the Belgian First division. Shankland returned to Scotland with a move to Hearts in the summer of 2022 and his career has really taken off since then.

Carlton Palmer warns that Lawrence Shankland won’t be cheap

Pundit Carlton Palmer has questioned whether Shankland would be as effective in the Championship and believes that though the Scottish international is a very talented player, he will not be cheap.

He told FLW: “Lawrence Shankland is on the radar of a lot of Championship clubs, Hull, Southampton and Middlesbrough.

“He’s currently playing his trade at Hearts, where he’s the leading scorer, having scored 18 goals in all competitions.

“There’s always a question of whether it’s a gamble to take someone from Scotland to come and play in the Championship, but he’s been capped by his country and is a very talented player.

“He’s still got 18 months left on his contract and, being a Scottish international, I’m sure that Hearts will be looking for a sizeable fee, and yes, there’s always a risk to take someone from north of the border, but he’s bang in form and scoring goals, so maybe it’s a risk worth taking if the price is right.”

Lawrence Shankland’s 2023/24 season

The Scottish striker has been in fantastic form for Hearts this season, scoring 18 times in all competitions across 28 appearances.

This is a very impressive strike-rate and his 13 league goals puts him top of the Scottish Premiership’s scoring charts, made even more impressive by not playing for one of the Old Firm.

There’s no doubt that Shankland is a very good goalscorer, and you can certainly see why a plethora of clubs are interested in him.

At 28 years old, you feel as if it’s now or never when it comes to making a move to England for Shankland. At the right price, he may just be an excellent signing at this level and could make a huge difference to the promotion chances of all three clubs interested in him.