Scotland International striker Lawrence Shankland could be set to leave Belgian club Beerschot who are spending a winter camp in Campoamor, while playing friendlies at La Finca Golf resort.
Hearts and Dundee United are among the Scottish Premiership clubs monitoring Shankland’s situation, who has spent much of his recent time sitting on the bench.
Shankland joined Jupiler League club Beerschot from Dundee United in the summer of 2021, for a fee reported to be £500,000.
He has struggled to make an impact in Belgium, and with Beerschot’s relegation fears the club are trimming their squad.
Shankland could be allowed to leave, if clubs are interested in making a genuine bid.
Hearts manager Robbie Neilson has worked with Shankland, when Dundee United won the Championship in the 2019-20 season, and was interested in taking him to Tynecastle before the Scotland internationalist’s move to Belgium.
The Jambos are in the transfer market for another forward although any move for Shankland from Hearts would have to wait until the summer, due to him playing for two clubs this season.
Shankland, capped four times for Scotland, twice at senior level, could also interest his former club United, with boss Tam Courts saying he wants to add to his forward line, and Shankland could return, having featured for United at the start of the season.
Shankland said he could do a job for a team back in his homeland: “I wouldn’t say I have unfinished business in Scotland.
“The numbers I hit in the Championship, I don’t think anyone will hit them in the Premiership – unless they are playing for Rangers or Celtic.
“The question was ‘could he score in the Premiership?’ Well, I can. I scored. How many? I don’t know.
“If I return and get the chance, I hope it’s a lot. I don’t think I have a lot to prove.
“I felt that I did my job for Dundee United and the number of goals I finished on was okay for where we were at. If I return, hopefully it’s 20-plus,” said Shankland.
Glasgow born Shankland was a prodigy of Queen’s Park youth and their top goalscorer in the 2012–13 season, having moved to the senior squad from the u-17s.
At the time he was a part-time tool setter in a local plumbing supplies company, a position arranged by the club to help young players earn a wage.
Shankland signed for Aberdeen at the end of the season and placed in the under-20 squad, making his debut appearance in 2014, signing a new contract until 2017, having been sent out on loan to lower-division clubs, prior to departure.
In September 2017, free agent Shankland signed a short-term contract at League One club Ayr United, until the following January.
Ayr won the league by one point, and after finishing with 29 goals, Shankland was named as the division’s PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year.
In 2019 Shankland left Ayr to join Dundee United on a three-year contract, turning down offers from clubs in both England and Scotland.
The season was suspended in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland, and curtailed a month later, with Dundee United declared winners and promoted.
Shankland had scored 24 league goals to finish as the division’s top scorer.
In August 2021, Shankland moved to Beerschot saying: “I don’t regret this transfer one bit. Everyone here at the club still believes we will start getting results soon. The fans have been brilliant with me.”
