Lawrence Shankland, the captain of Rangers, is expected to be sidelined for up to four months while medical staff determine whether he will need an operation. Manager Derek McInnes confirmed that the 31‑year‑old forward has suffered a recurrence of the same problem that first flared up during his spell at Hearts last season, an injury that kept him out for roughly nine weeks at the time. So far this campaign Shankland has contributed four goals in ten league outings, but his progress was halted early in Rangers’ 1‑0 home victory over Motherwell on Saturday.
He was forced to leave the pitch before the half‑hour mark, and his substitute, Ryan Naderi, went on to net the match‑winning goal. Ahead of the upcoming Premiership encounter with St Mirren at Ibrox on Wednesday night, McInnes explained the situation in detail: "He’s had his scan and it’s confirmed that he’s dealing with a tear – a grade‑2C tear, very similar to the one he sustained at Hearts in January. He’s currently in London for an ultrasound and a follow‑up scan. The purpose of that scan is to decide, together with the specialist, whether surgery is required or whether the injury can be allowed to heal naturally, as it did the previous time." The manager added that the next 48 hours should bring more clarity: "We’ll have a better idea after the scan and the specialist’s assessment about how long the lay‑off will be.
From what I understand, if he goes under the knife, we’re looking at an additional three to four weeks of recovery. Surgery would also reduce the risk of a repeat injury, but all of that will be confirmed shortly. Unfortunately for both us and Lawrence, this is a significant period out of action." McInnes outlined the possible timelines: "In the best‑case scenario we’re talking about three months, in the worst case it could stretch to four months. The specialist appointment in London should shed some light and give us a clearer picture." While Shankland’s absence is a blow, Rangers have already bolstered their attacking options.
On deadline day the club secured the signing of £9 million forward Kevin Kelsy, and Naderi’s decisive goal against Motherwell shows that the team can still find the net without their captain. However, the injury comes on the heels of another setback: young striker Youssef Chermiti is out for a "significant period" after rupturing his ACL.
Bojan Miovski, who arrived from Girona last summer, has also struggled to cement a regular place in the starting eleven. In his debut season at Ibrox he scored 13 goals across all competitions, averaging a goal roughly every 142 minutes. By comparison, Naderi’s scoring rate last season was a goal every 203 minutes, while Shankland’s record under McInnes at Hearts was an impressive one goal every 86.5 minutes.
McInnes summed up the club’s outlook: "We just need to support him as we do with all our injured players. Losing both Lawrence and Youssef, who are proven goal‑scorers at Premiership level, is undeniably a setback.
But every disappointment creates an opportunity for others, as we saw on Saturday with Ryan’s goal and Kevin’s introduction. We also have Bojan Miovski, who knows the league well, so it isn’t all doom and gloom. It’s disappointing news, but we’ll adapt and keep pushing forward." In summary, Shankland’s injury is a repeat of a previous tear, now being examined with advanced imaging in London to decide on surgical intervention. The club anticipates a recovery window of three to four months, depending on the treatment path chosen.
Meanwhile, Rangers will rely on the contributions of Kevin Kelsy, Ryan Naderi, Bojan Miovski and other squad members to fill the scoring void left by their captain and the sidelined Chermiti. The coming weeks will reveal how the team reshapes its attacking strategy while awaiting news on Shankland’s definitive prognosis.