The striker has swapped Hearts for Rangers as the summer transfer window looms.

Lawrence Shankland has shared why he couldn’t say no to Rangers after leaving Hearts for one of their main rivals.

The striker has conducted his first interview with his new side’s club media after swapping Gorgie for Govan, signing a two-year deal with his boyhood club, with the option for a third. Shankland spent four years at Hearts and was within minutes of being the captain that guided the club to Premiership glory before final day defeat against Celtic. He has already penned a social media farewell to Hearts fans after 88 goals in 171 matches wearing maroon.

Opening up on why the move is right for him, Shankland will take lessons from Tynecastle to Ibrox, having learned plenty from captaincy duties in the capital. A chance to play for Rangers like he dreamed of growing up was ultimately too much of a lure to turn down.

Why has Lawrence Shankland joined Rangers?

“Delighted, first and foremost obviously, to get this opportunity,” Shankland told Rangers TV. “It feels a wee bit like a long time coming, to be honest. There have been times I've been rumoured with it but I am just delighted to finally get it done and be a Rangers player. Probably every transfer window for the last four or five years, to be honest, and dealing with the messages from outside.

“Family and stuff, asking if it was true but to be fair, I always just had to remain focused with my job at hand. When I heard the interest was real coming this week, I was really tempted straight away. Being my boyhood club, it's always a dream to play for. I was really keen to get it done. It's an opportunity that I've waited a long time for. A lot of hard graft has went into that to get to this point. I'm just delighted to be here, first and foremost. I want to come here and be a successful Rangers player as well.

“I was away with the missus and the kids, so they were getting a wee bit frustrated with me, that I wasn't spending much time in the pool. But I had a lot of business to take care of. As I said, I was really keen to get this done, and make it happen. So that was the business I had to do. I want to be successful. The club are in a position where they want to get back to winning titles more regularly. I want to be a big part of that and that's what I come here to do. The last two or three years have been huge in terms of development on that side of the game in leadership. It's not easy to be a captain at times, and especially at Hearts, another big club.

Why have Rangers signed Lawrence Shankland?

“There's a lot of pressures there as well. So it's a responsibility I felt I've dealt with pretty well. There's a lot of good experience that I've gained through it, good and bad, a couple of tough moments in there as well with Hearts that we had to deal with and come through. We had a good season last year. I come here with all those learning curves done and I feel I'm in a really good spot in my career to join Rangers.

“When you come to make decisions, it's never easy. It's a bit easier the fact that it's obviously Rangers and my boyhood club. Hearts have been a huge part of my life for the last four years for me and my family. I'm grateful for the opportunity they've gave me. Four years of my career is a long time to spend there as well and I'll always be grateful for the opportunities they gave me. A really good club and I'm glad I've left it on good terms with everybody there.”

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is delighted with the signing. He believes it provides the club with a clear focal point at the top end of the pitch alongside the likes of Youssef Chermiti, Ryan Naderi and Bojan Miovski.

“We are delighted to have Lawrence join Rangers,” Rohl said of the transfer raid on Hearts. “He is a player with proven quality, leadership and work ethic, and his goalscoring record in Scotland speaks for itself. He understands the demands and expectations that come with playing for Rangers, and we believe his character and experience will be a huge asset for the group. I wish him well at the World Cup this summer, and look forward to welcoming him back to Glasgow during pre-season."

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