Glasgow Rangers signed John Souttar from Hearts last summer, and although he missed a large chunk of the season due to injury, it looked like he was back to his old self after impressing in the final few matches of 2022/23.
Should the 26-year-old – who was dubbed "outstanding" by his manager last term – fulfil his undoubted potential, he could well become one of the first names on the team sheet under Michael Beale, while also going on to be the finest player the club have signed from Hearts since Neil McCann in 1998.
The winger was lured to Glasgow by Dick Advocaat during his maiden campaign, and he went on to enjoy wonderful success at the Ibrox side over the next five years.
The tricky winger was able to dart past players and his finishing touch allowed him to score a total of 23 goals across 178 appearances. He is perhaps most well known for scoring a brace against Celtic in May 1999 that clinched the league title at Parkhead.
In the present day, the Gers have been linked with a move for current Hearts talisman, Lawrence Shankland, so could Beale repeat the club's McCann masterclass?
How many goals did Lawrence Shankland score last season?
The 27-year-old could certainly give Beale an added goal-scoring option in his side, especially coming off the back of a season where he netted 28 times across all competitions.
Not only that, but the striker has scored a grand total of 173 goals during his club career, turning into one of the finest out-and-out strikers in Scotland.
Could Rangers sign Lawrence Shankland?
The Light Blues have earmarked Brazilian striker Danilo as their main target, with Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad (via The Daily Record) reporting that a bid of €6.5m (£5.6m) has met the asking price set by Feyenoord and they appear to be closing in on the player.
That isn’t to say that Beale still couldn’t look at Shankland too, especially as he could offer a solid threat in front of goal, especially in the Premiership.
Across the whole Hearts squad last season in the league, the Scot ranked first for goals and assists (28), shots on target per game (1.4) and scoring frequency (a goal every 127 minutes).
In comparison, James Tavernier had the highest number of goals and assists in the Gers squad with 25, while Antonio Colak topped the pile with 1.2 shots on target per game, suggesting that Shankland could find a place in the Rangers starting XI due to these numbers.
He was lauded by journalist Joel Sked at the end of 2022, who said: “Lawrence Shankland has been different class for Hearts. So much more to his game than goals. His ability to drop in, act as that focal point and link player, his awareness, and the way he creates space for himself. All so good and so vital.”
This summer has seen a large overhaul of the Rangers squad as Beale looks to get his team firing in the bid to win trophies next season. Signing the £3k-per-week Hearts star may not be his most impressive purchase, but he could give the team another option in the penalty box.
Having seen the success that the aforementioned McCann enjoyed after trading Edinburgh for Glasgow, perhaps a move for Shankland can prove just as fruitful.