Hull City, Rangers and Preston North End were 'keen' on 31-goal forward in transfer window

Shankland delivered a remarkable 31-goal haul in the 2023/24 season, building on his reputation as one of the most lethal marksmen in Scotland. His form, unsurprisingly, led to speculation regarding his future over the summer.

According to HITC, Hull were among the clubs to speak to Hearts about a potential deal for the 29-year-old. Fellow Championship side Preston North End are also said to have been keen, although both are believed to have been unwilling to meet the asking price.

Rangers are thought to have encountered the same issue, with Hearts understood to have been asking for a fee in excess of £3m for their talismanic frontman.

Shankland has spent just one season away from his native Scotland, having linked up with Belgian side Beerschot for the 2021/22 campaign. He made 28 appearances for the club, scoring four goals and registering five assists.

While Hull did not manage to secure Shankland’s signature, they did end the summer window with a senior signings tally of 15. Among the new arrivals late in the window were former Huddersfield Town playmaker Kasey Palmer and former Portsmouth wideman Abu Kamara.

The Tigers also made use of the loan market, recruiting the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carl Rushworth and Bayer Leverkusen’s Gustavo Puerta.