McInnes confident Rangers captain Shankland will have 'big influence'

Rangers: Derek McInnes confident captain Lawrence Shankland will have 'big influence' at Ibrox club The 30-year-old joined Rangers from Hearts before Derek McInnes was appointed manager; 11 new players have signed for Rangers this summer; the club are working on adding a winger and striker before the transfer window shuts Wednesday 19 August 2026 16:04, UK Derek McInnes described Lawrence Shankland as a "brilliant" captain who will have a "big influence" at Rangers whether or not he starts games. Shankland was skipper under McInnes at Hearts and followed his manager to Ibrox in the summer where he took up the same role. However, the Scotland striker has not hit the ground running in Govan and was on the bench for the 5-1 home League Cup win over St Mirren on Sunday, with midfielder Nico Raskin taking the armband. - Got Sky? Watch Scottish Premiership games on your phone - Not got Sky? Stream Scottish Premiership games flexibly on your phone Ahead of the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-off tie against Czech side Jablonec at Ibrox on Thursday, McInnes said: "I said that when I spoke to Lawrence. Being captain does not guarantee anything, and he accepted that. "He is not going to stamp his feet about it. Somebody has to be club captain and, having worked with Lawrence before, he is a brilliant captain and a brilliant boy. "He has a lot to offer. People can maybe look too much into it. "You want your captain to have a big influence on and off the pitch, and I believe Lawrence will have that. "For me, it is a non-question, although I understand why people might see more in it." Shankland came off the bench for the second time this season in the second half against Saints but could not add to his solitary Gers goal to date, a penalty against Polish side Jagiellonia in the Europa League qualifier. However, McInnes is relaxed about the situation and said: "When you have a player like Lawrence, who knows his way around the penalty box and how to score goals, I do not worry too much about it. "He is too good not to score regularly. He has consistently shown that over a period of time in the Premiership, with 20-odd goals a season at Hearts. "Sometimes people can overemphasise these things. "For me, it is a case of letting him play his natural game. "The best strikers have that instinctive side to their game, where everything looks natural and seamless. I have no doubt he will do well here." Earlier in the day, Rangers confirmed that Kosta Nedeljkovic had signed from Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal with the Gers having an obligation to buy. The 20-year-old Serbia international, McInnes' 11th summer signing, will contend with Dujon Sterling and Ross McCrorie for the right-back position. McInnes said: "It was a position we identified at the start of pre-season. We looked at various options. The club had been reliant on Dujon, who has had his history of injuries, so we wanted to bring in a different type of full-back. "I've got a high opinion of Dujon, but with Kosta you get a player similar to (midfielder) Vanja (Dragojevic) in a full-back position: real enthusiasm, athleticism and the ability to get up and down the pitch. "He shows good quality and a real eagerness to play the role. "As a young player, there will still be areas to improve, but we're looking forward to helping him develop." [Image text:] BOX BOILE UNIBET STHRUS BOXT BOILERS REFEREE