Rangers 'can't afford Lawrence Shankland asking price' - McAvennie

Rangers cannot afford to meet the £5million price tag to sign Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Scotland striker Frank McAvennie insisted that the club would be focusing on free transfers and loans in the market.

He went on to explain that qualifying for the Champions League would allow them to spend bigger, but as things stand, they cannot afford Shankland.

The 28-year-old finished the season as the top scorer in the SPFL with 24 goals from 37 appearances and has attracted major interest from Ibrox.

Football Insider revealed in March that Gers would need to spend a Scottish record fee to land the striker, with the current record set at £4.4million.

Rangers cannot afford Lawrence Shankland deal after new twist

This comes after Rangers fans declared via social media that they would have beaten Celtic to the title had Shankland arrived at Ibrox in January, as Football Insider shared.

McAvennie, however, insisted Shankland would not be making the move this summer as they cannot afford his price tag.

"I don't know where they're getting their money from, because I've heard that they've really not got much," he told Football Insider.

"I think they'll be going for frees and loans unless they go through the qualifiers and get into the Champions League.

"Whether they're going to take a chance and spend it before that, I don't know.

"I think they want to sign Shankland, but he'll cost £5million.

"He isn't going there because they haven't got that kind of money.

"It's all about money. It's all very well saying 'We're going to do this', but that's for the fans. I don't think they've got the money to do what they want to do."

In other news, James Tavernier "has told the club he will leave" this summer.

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