After confirming his departure from Ayr United, Lawrence Shankland is looking for a new club. The forward will have an nearly endless list of suitors wanting his services after the campaign that he just had.
The striker has been linked with a host of clubs down south, with the Scottish Sun reporting Nottingham Forest, Hull City and Sunderland interest. No matter where he ends up, Shankland thoroughly deserves his big break.
He helped the Honest Men to no end this season and almost dragged them to back-to-back promotions.
Shankland now needs to make the big leap
From 41 games in all competitions this season Shankland netted 34 times. That’s an outstanding record no matter the league and he should be very proud of his efforts.
It’s no coincidence that when he was injured, and his form began to tail off slightly, Ian McCall’s men began to struggle. The team as a whole scored 50 during the Championship campaign and Shankland scored 24 of them.
Shankland was unplayable at times, proving he’s outgrown the Scottish second-tier. Shankland now has to hit the ground running at his new club, which McCall confirmed to the BBC is a ‘sleeping giant type club’.
This could mean he is Forest-bound. They are a massive club who are desperate for a clinical striker to drive them back to the top flight of English football. They don’t come much more prolific than Shankland.
As for his season at Ayr, it really was special. His clinical edge in front of goal helped the Honest Men secure an unlikely Premiership play-off spot. It wouldn’t have been possible without Shankland.
He outperformed himself this year and will do better to score as many goals in a season again. It’s full marks for the Ayr hitman.