26-Years-Old Rangers Star Could be Allowed To Leave: Is This The Right Decision For Rohl? | OneFootball

Rangers have agreed a deal to sign Lawrence Shankland from Hearts on a free transfer, and according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the arrival signals the likely end of Bojan Miovski’s time at Ibrox. The North Macedonian arrived last summer after the Light Blues spent £4.2 million to bring him to Glasgow, yet the move never truly took off. Miovski has been unable to replicate the form he showed at Aberdeen, and the addition of Shankland is unlikely to be the last attacking reinforcement of the summer.

Rangers back proven goals with bold Shankland move

Despite the 26-year-old’s lack of minutes, he still managed 13 goals in all competitions last season. That output sounds respectable on the surface, but context matters here. Miovski reportedly feels unhappy at Ibrox, with the arrival of Shankland set to push him to fourth in the striking pecking order behind Youssef Chermiti and Ryan Naderi. Wyness told Football Insider that Miovski “hasn’t performed to expectations” and is “the one who’s really at risk” of departing, pointing to Chermiti and Shankland as the preferred attacking partnership going forward.

“I think Chermiti will benefit from having Shankland. Playing off Shankland would be really good for him. I think the one who’s really at risk is Mivovski. He could certainly be out the door, and I think he’d be one of those who would be on the list to sell. He hasn’t performed to expectations. He did quite well at Aberdeen, but he hasn’t done it for Rangers that much. And so overall, I think we’re looking at Chermiti and Shankland being the attacking force, which would be a very interesting forward duo for Rangers.”

Rangers face a summer of squad decisions

Danny Rohl welcomed Shankland publicly, describing him as a player with “proven quality, leadership and work ethic” whose goalscoring record in Scotland speaks for itself. Former Hearts player Michael Stewart has suggested that Hearts themselves should move quickly for Miovski, either on loan or permanently, describing him as a “top-class finisher” who the Edinburgh club would be “silly” to overlook. Meanwhile, Rangers could still face future payments to Hearts despite Shankland arriving on a free, with financial analyst Stefan Borson confirming the deal contained clauses that allowed the departure.

What’s the right decision for Rangers?

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 04: Bojan Miovski of Rangers celebrates after he scores his team’s second goal during the William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Kilmarnock at Ibrox Stadium on February 04, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Rangers are doing the sensible thing here, even if it stings a little to admit. Spending £4.2 million on Miovski and seeing him drift into irrelevance within twelve months is not a great look, but doubling down on a player who is clearly unhappy and clearly fourth choice is the worse option. Shankland delivered 20 goals for Hearts in 2025-26, nearly dragging them to a title, and he arrives at Ibrox for nothing due to a contract clause. That is extraordinary business.

The more interesting question is whether Rangers sell Miovski sensibly or panic-sell him cheaply. He showed at Aberdeen that he is a reliable Scottish Premiership striker, and a loan to Hearts, as Stewart suggests, could actually serve all three clubs. Hearts replace their captain, Miovski finds regular football, and Rangers keep an asset rather than dump one. That chain of logic feels clean, and Rangers should strongly consider it before cutting the cord for nothing.