Lawrence Shankland, also known as a potent force in front of goal, was born on 10 August 1995 in Scotland. This puts him at a healthy age of 29, still strutting his stuff preferably as a striker for Hearts. This seasoned forward proudly displays the number 9 on his jersey, a testament not just to his position but also his goal-scoring prowess.
At 1.85m in height (or 6ft in a more traditional measure) and weighing in at a trim 77kg (12st 1lb), Shankland's physical prowess on the football pitch is quite evident. But his worth extends far beyond his physique, with the Scotsman also representing his nation on the global football stage.
His current fiscal estimation is around £2.13 million, according to Transfermarkt. A substantial amount, one might argue. The ticking clock of his contract with Hearts is set to resonate its final chime come the 31st of May, 2025.
Cast your mind back to July 2012. A young Shankland made his move to Queen's Park in the Championship, making his debut in the 2012 - 2013 season. After a solid 33 first team appearances and ten league goals, a promising football career was in full swing.
Fast forward to July 2013, and Shankland moves to Aberdeen in the Premiership. After a couple of seasons, and a modest 34 league games and no goals between them, Shankland found himself on loan at Dunfermline Athletic. Firing seven goals in 13 games was enough to see his return to Aberdeen.
However, after another short-lived stay at Aberdeen, Shankland set course for St Mirren in August 2015. 48 appearances and 10 goals later, Shankland found himself moving again, this time on loan to Greenock Morton in January 2017. His stint in Greenock proved less fruitful, with four goals in 16 appearances.
By September 2017, Shankland had transferred to Ayr United where he enjoyed a prolific season, bagging 16 goals in 18 appearances. This goal-laden period, however, didn’t last long, and in July 2019, Shankland transferred to Dundee United.
At Dundee United, goals were less abundant for Shankland, tallying a total of nine league strikes in 33 appearances over two seasons. Although his scoring form wasn't strikingly profound, that didn’t dither Beerschot in the Pro League in Belgium from snagging him for the tidy sum of approximately £1.1 million in 2021.
Following a single season jump to Belgium with 26 appearances and five league goals, Shankland returned to his homeland, signing with Hearts in the Premiership in July 2022. Since joining Hearts, Shankland has been in rich vein of form, scoring a noteworthy 48 league goals in two seasons, with another four added to his tally this season.
Summing up his career in competitions, Shankland's exploits are quite remarkable. From the League Cup with Hearts, to the Euro 2024 with Scotland, and even the Europa League Qualifiers for Hearts, the forward from Scotland has been a constant presence, scoring goals and offering resistance to opposing defenders. And just like his attitude on the pitch, Lawrence Shankland seems to have no intention of slowing down.
