Lawrence Shankland has been left out of the Dundee United matchday squad for today’s visit of Rangers amid mounting transfer speculation.
The hitman has recently been linked with a move away from Tannadice – with Belgian side Beerschot and a host of English clubs interested parties.
Shankland, in the last year of his deal with United, is a talismanic figure for the Terrors – having scored a barrowload of goals to lead them to Championship promotion two seasons ago.
He managed just the nine in the step up to the Premiership last season – but scored three in United’s successful Premier Sports Cup campaign last month.
His omission from boss Tam Courts’ pool for their first home league game of the new term will only increase the uncertainty surrounding his future.
‘Legitimate knock’
However, Courts, speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, was quick to sully such thoughts – claiming the forward was posted missing due to suffering from a “hip knock”.
And, speaking to Sky Sports, the Tannadice head coach said: “Really disappointingly for us and for Lawrence he took a bang on his hip yesterday.
“The medical team assure us its only a minor knock and he’ll be back next week.
“He was in the right frame of mind and training really well and looking forward to playing on the big stage.
“It is a legitimate knock and the medics say he’ll be back next week.”
The United starting XI to face champions the Gers is: Siegrist (GK); L Smith, Edwards, Mulgrew, Robson; Chalmers, Harkes, Butcher (C), Fuchs, Pawlett; Clark.
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