Hot-shot striker Lawrence Shankland, who has been linked with Nottingham Forest, is said to have three teams to choose from as he ponders his next move – including one from “a sleeping giant-type club”.
Shankland is a free agent as his Ayr United contract comes to an end this summer, and a prolific season in the Scottish Championship has put him firmly in the shop window.
The Reds, Hull City and Sunderland were all said to have taken an interest, back in February, while Swansea City had a bid rejected during the winter transfer window, and Celtic and Rangers are also reportedly keen.
Now Ayr manager Ian McCall has revealed the 23-year-old front man has two English sides and a leading club in Scotland all vying for his signature.
“He has to go to a club where he will play,” McCall told BBC Scotland.
“There may be the option of a very, very big club, but would he play there every week, to take that next step and kick on again?
He added: “One of them, it’s a club in Scotland and you need to be really mentally strong.
“That’s something I think Lawrence has, but the only way you find that is if you go through it.
“You can’t predict that, it’s something you have to live through to find out if you have it.
“There are a couple of pretty sizeable clubs in England where I’m pretty sure he would play. One in particular would suit him, a sleeping giant type club.
“He has three now to choose from.”
Shankland made the move to Somerset Park two years ago and has racked up an impressive haul of 63 goals in 74 appearances across the past couple of seasons.
This term alone he finished with a tally of 34 strikes in 41 games in the second tier, and McCall believes he can get even better, tipping him for an international call-up for Scotland in the near future.
“If his mentality is as good as it can be, which he’ll need if he goes to a big club, he can be as good as any of them (strikers in the Scotland squad),” he added.
“He scores goals with his right foot from 25 yards, with his left foot from 20 yards, he scores tap-ins, headers.
“He’s so fit and strong. I’m not even sure if he’s best as a number nine or number 10.
“He’s not even close to how good he could be.
“Coming through at Aberdeen, he’s had loans that didn’t work out and he’s quite a complex boy.
“Technically, people don’t realise what he’s got. He can drop off, find passes with left or right foot that gifted midfielders see.
“Or he can play right up in the box.
“It doesn’t matter where it falls to him, he can create space for himself in a second.”
Shankland himself has previously said his next move would not be motivated by money, but by the chance to play regular football.
“I’ve played two full seasons now and done well,” he said back in April.
“People were doubting me a wee bit at the start of the season because I’d been in the Championship but not done that great.
“It’s been good to show I can play at this level and if I get the chance to play in the Premiership or wherever then I will look forward to it.
“It’s honestly not about the money for me. I want to keep improving and the money will come if you do well enough.
“I want to go somewhere where I can go and show people what I can do.”
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