Lawrence Shankland, a Scot born on 10 August 1995, is a robust forward who usually graces the pitch as a principal striker for Hearts. Standing at an imposing 6ft (1.85m), Shankland is a physical presence weighing in at 12st 1lb (77kg). The number 9 jersey is his favoured battleground armour. In addition to his club contributions, Shankland has had the honour of representing his home nation on the international stage.
Shankland's current market value is approximately £2.1m, according to Transfermarkt.
His professional journey began in July 2012 when he signed with Queen's Park in the Scottish Championship. In his inaugural 2012-2013 season, Shankland made a considerable impact, making 33 first team appearances and netting ten goals in league matches.
Following a promising stint at Queen's Park, Shankland transferred to Aberdeen in July 2013 for an undisclosed sum. During the 2014-2015 season, he completed 17 first team appearances. However, Aberdeen loaned him out to Dunfermline Athletic in the Championship in January 2014, where he scored seven times in 13 league matches.
After his loan period ended, Shankland returned to Aberdeen, where he continued to contribute in the 2014-2015 season. His performances led to another loan move in August 2015, this time to St Mirren in the Premiership. Over the two seasons he spent with St Mirren, he made 48 appearances both in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons, contributing a total of 10 goals in the former.
In January 2017, Aberdeen decided to loan Shankland to Greenock Morton in the Championship. At Morton, Shankland participated in 16 league matches and delivered four goals in the 2016-2017 season.
Leaving the instability of loan life behind him, Shankland permanently transferred to Ayr United in September 2017. Here, his skill began to shine as he scored a remarkable 16 goals in a mere 18 league appearances during the 2017-2018 season.
In July 2019, Dundee United secured the services of Shankland. His first season saw him playing 32 times and finding the back of the net on eight occasions. The next seasons saw a decline in his appearances, with only a single appearance in the 2021-2022 season.
In August 2021, Shankland took the decision to challenge himself at an international level, transferring to Beerschot in the Belgian Challenger Pro League, with the transfer fee reported to be around £1.1m. During the 2021-2022 season, he made 26 first team appearances and scored five goals.
The lure of home proved too potent for Shankland. In a personal and career move, he transferred back to Scotland, this time signing with Hearts in July 2022 for an undisclosed fee. He delivered impressive performances over three seasons, making a combined total of 106 appearances and scoring 56 goals. His current season is off to a promising start, with six goals in just ten appearances.
Shankland has also proudly represented his club and country in various tournaments. He has appeared in the League Cup 2025-2026 for Hearts scoring three goals, the Scottish Cup 2024-2025 again for Hearts scoring once, Euro 2024 for Scotland with three appearances, Euro Qualifiers 2022-2024 for Scotland where he netted a goal and finally, the Nations League 2024-2025 for Scotland with two appearances.
