Dundee United striker Lawrence Shankland pledges to stay to achieve title-winning goal

Dundee United striker Lawrence Shankland has pledged to stay at Tannadice because he wants to be a title winner.

That is the view of his boss Robbie Neilson, who was thrilled to hear Shankland’s pomise to remain at Tannadice beyond this transfer window.

Neilson has been working hard behind the scenes along with United chairman Mark Ogren and sporting director Tony Asghar to make a case for his star striker to hang around for at least the rest of this season.

Those discussions with the player and his agent appear to have paid off, although there is obviously still the possibility of a too-big-to-turn-down bid coming in at the last minute and ripping up the script.

Any offer would need to be massive, though, and fans can perhaps begin to relax a bit ahead of the window’s closure at midnight tonight.

It seems the lure of a likely winner’s medal – United currently sit 18 points clear at the top of the Championship – has helped make up Shankland’s mind.

Neilson said: “Yes, we are delighted.

“Myself, the chairman and Tony have had conversations with Lawrence and his agent.

“Lawrence has committed to the club, which is great.

“He wants to try and help us win the title here.

“We have given him a platform and it is great reassurance for us.”

Shankland delivered the words United fans want to hear just a couple of days after scoring a wonderful opening goal against Premiership side Hibs in the William Hill Scottish Cup replay at Easter Road, a match that United eventually lost 4-2.

It took his numbers for the season to 28 for club and one for country, and he will looking to add plenty more as United chase promotion and the national side attempt to qualify for Euro 2020 via the play-offs.

Shankland said: “It is flattering knowing that there is interest from big clubs in England and Scotland.

“It is great to hear and read but I genuinely believe that Dundee United is the best place for me at this stage in my career.

“United are a team on the up and why would I want to leave the club just now?

“I came here to get Dundee United back into the Premiership and that is what I plan to do.

“I know how desperate everybody is to get the club back in the Premiership and it would have been wrong for me to even think about leaving just now.

“The fans and everybody at the club have waited long enough to get back to the Premiership and I want to be part of a Dundee United squad that takes this club back where they belong.”

Two players do look to be heading elsewhere, with Cammy Smith expected to join Irish side Dundalk and Matty Smith also crossing the sea to join Waterford.

There could be some arrivals, too, with Neilson adding: “Possibly but we have to make sure they are the right ones that come in.

“We have a really good group here and young ones coming through so there are one or two things but they would need to be right for us.”

Neilson will be a relieved man when the window shuts and he can pick Shankland to play against Arbroath at Tannadice tomorrow.

It was the prolific frontman who saved the day fot the Tangerines the last time the Lichties visited, with his last-gasp double securing a 2-1 victory on September 21.

Unsurprisingly, that dramatic day is still fresh in Neilson’s memory.

He recalled: “We played them here last time and we were 1-0 down in the 89th minute.

“Obviously (Arbroath manager) Dick Campbell is a wily, old fox so he will come here and make it difficult for us.

“But we need to get back to winning ways and get the cup game out of our heads.”