Oliver Birch 
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Dundee United manager Robbie Neilson has dropped a hint about Lawrence Shankland’s future amid transfer interest in the striker.
The Scotsman quoted Tangerines sporting director Tony Asghar as saying the striker was not for sale this month earlier this season.
However according to the Daily Record, Neilson revealed that while he is keen to keep hold of Shankland this month, if he does leave then he will only leave to join “the right team” for him, with the report claiming the likes of Celtic, Rangers, QPR and Everton are all interested.
He is a goalscorer and put him into any team, it doesn’t matter what level you are playing at, whether it is the bottom or top flight, put him in a position with just a keeper to beat and he will score goals. We don’t want to lose him but if he does leave then it has to be the right team for Lawrence.
He isn’t going to go to a team who are battling at the wrong end of the league where there are very few chances created. He has to go somewhere where teams create chances for him like we are doing here.
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Neilson’s comments are hugely positive for Celtic in our opinion, as they open the door for Shankland’s potential departure after Asghar had previously appeared to rule out a move.
Furthermore, Celtic is exactly the type of club Shankland would consider joining based on Neilson’s comments.
The Hoops are the leading goalscorer’s in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, with an impressive 55 goals in just 20 league games.
Shankland would therefore be joining a club who are at the right end of the league and are creating chances in abundance with a record of scoring at an average of over two goals a game thus far.
In our opinion, Celtic should certainly make a move for Shankland this month, but look to loan him back to Dundee United for the remainder of the season.
Having just signed Patryk Klimala, the Hoops are now set for strikers this season and Shankland is unlikely to feature week in week out if he moves to Parkhead this month.
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Buying him and loaning him straight back, however, is likely to not only appeal to the Tangerines, who would keep him in their push for promotion to the Premiership, but also to Shankland, who would continue his excellent season before linking up with his new teammates in the summer.
