GERS LAW & NEW ORDER

LAWRENCE SHANKLAND can help Rangers to topple Celtic and become Scotland’s top team again.

That is the view of former Ibrox and Scotland striker Gordon Durie.

Durie watched the in-form striker (above) net a double for Scotland in their pre-world Cup Hampden win over Curacao.

Rangers made full use of a release clause to sign the 30-year-old on a free transfer from Hearts last month.

Shankland’s 20 goals last season fired the Jambos to within a whisker of the title.

And Durie reckons that sort of end product at Rangers can take Danny Rohl’s side to the next level.

The former Ibrox star insisted: “Lawrence can definitely help close the gap on Celtic. Rangers weren’t that far away this season.

“They had been well placed up to the last five games. The manager will put together a new squad and we will all look forward to it all starting again next season.”

Durie also believes if Shankland stays fit then he could be easily aiming for the 30-goal mark in a light blue shirt. He could be the missing link for Rohl’s men.

Youssef Chermiti took time to find his feet and delivered on the big occasion, but not on a regular basis. It was the same with Bojan Miovski while Ryan Naderi has still to adapt from the German lower leagues. Shankland comes in ready to hit the ground, tried and tested in the Premiership.

“I think he will score a lot of goals for Rangers,” the ex-scotland star (right) predicted. “I think he can hit 20 to 30 goals for Rangers. Look at his record at Hearts. He has shown he can score goals in the Premiership.

“No disrespect to Hearts, but he will get even more chances playing up front for Rangers. I am looking forward to seeing him at Ibrox.”

The only disappointment for Durie is that Shankland wasn’t in a Rangers jersey a few years earlier.

He has been linked and offered to the club several times in recent years and has finally got his chance with his boyhood heroes – and Durie knows he’ll be desperate to take it.

He added: “It is a great bit of business. For me, though, it was two years too late. It should have happened before now.

“Listen, he is a goal-scorer. He wins games and can be the difference between one and three points. I am really looking forward to him wearing that blue jersey and leading the line for Rangers. It is exciting.”

And Durie was delighted to see Shankland make his mark as the Scotland team said their farewells ahead of arriving at their US World Cup base.

He believes his performance and goals could well push him into Steve Clarke’s starting XI for the World Cup opener against Haiti.

“I am delighted for him,” Durie added. “He’s got the move he wanted to Rangers. He proved on Saturday what a great goalscorer he is.

“He hasn’t done himself any harm after his performance and his two goals against Curacao. He showed against Curacao he can bang them in.”