Lawrence Shankland has barely had time to settle in at Ibrox, yet his influence on Rangers is already impossible to ignore, even from the treatment room. The Scotland striker arrived in the summer alongside Derek McInnes, and the early signs were encouraging. He had scored four goals in ten appearances for the club before a hamstring problem brought his season to a sudden halt. [Sky Sports](https://skysports.com/football/news/12040/13583189/lawrence-shankland-rangers-captain-expected-to-be-out-for-three-to-four-months-with-hamstring-tear-confirms-derek-mcinnes)
The timing made it sting. Shankland had scored Rangers’ previous three goals to secure their first two league wins of the season, and the captain looked to be hitting his stride. Then, against Motherwell at Ibrox, he pulled up with an injury after only eight minutes. McInnes admitted afterwards that the striker was feeling something familiar, a sensation similar to the hamstring problem he suffered at Hearts last January. [STV Sport sponsored by CR Smith +2](https://news.stv.tv/sport/lawrence-shankland-suffers-similar-hamstring-injury-that-kept-him-out-for-three-months)
The scan delivered the verdict nobody wanted. McInnes confirmed that Shankland had suffered a tear, and the manager put the timeline plainly: best case three months, worst case about four. There was also the question of whether surgery would be needed. McInnes noted that an operation would reduce the risk of the injury happening again, which is worth weighing for a player who has now suffered the same kind of setback twice in under a year. [Derek McInnes expects Rangers skipper Lawrence Shankland to be out for three to four months +2](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/derek-mcinnes-expects-rangers-skipper-lawrence-shankland-to-be-out-for-three-to-four-months-8991114)
Where Shankland’s impact lingers most is in what happened next. His replacement, Ryan Naderi, struck the only goal of the game after being on the pitch for just four minutes. That moment showed Rangers can still win without their captain, but it also put a spotlight on how thin the options are. Chermiti is already out long term with an ACL injury, which leaves Naderi, new signing Kevin Kelsy and the fringe figure Bojan Miovski to carry the load. Kelsy’s arrival was itself a direct consequence of the earlier injury crisis, as Rangers spent £9 million on the Venezuelan from Portland Timbers. [STV Sport sponsored by CR Smith +2](https://news.stv.tv/sport/lawrence-shankland-suffers-similar-hamstring-injury-that-kept-him-out-for-three-months)
The fixture list offers no breathing room either. Shankland was expected to miss the Old Firm double-header against Celtic, a pair of matches in which a proven goalscorer and a leader in the dressing room would have been precious. McInnes was candid about the mood, saying the player was understandably a bit down. [scotsman](https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/latest-rangers-news/rangers-rocked-by-lawrence-shankland-blow-as-captain-set-to-miss-celtic-ties-after-suffering-hearts-injury-8962290) [stv](https://news.stv.tv/sport/lawrence-shankland-suffers-similar-hamstring-injury-that-kept-him-out-for-three-months)
The damage reaches beyond Glasgow, too. The injury rules him out of Scotland’s Nations League campaign, costing him the chance to impress new national boss Sebastien Pocognoli during his first games in charge. For a player who has been a central figure for his country, that is a real cost at an important moment. [flashscore](https://www.flashscore.com/news/soccer-premiership-lawrence-shankland-to-be-out-for-up-to-four-months-after-rangers-captain-picks-up-injury/r9kIEgo1/)
Still, there is a case that Shankland’s presence will be felt in a positive way, too. Rangers were forced to reshape their attacking plans quickly, and the younger forwards now have a chance to prove themselves. If Naderi and Kelsy step up, the club may emerge deeper and more flexible. And when Shankland does return, he will be coming back to a squad that learned to cope without him.
Until then, Rangers fans will be watching the calendar as closely as the scoresheet. Three to four months is a long time in a Scottish season, but Shankland has shown in just ten games how much difference he can make. Whenever he comes back, the expectation is that he will pick up right where he left off.
Worth knowing: the surgery decision was still pending in the reports I found, so check for the latest update before publishing.