Belgian club Beerschot face competition from Ipswich Town for Dundee United and Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland

• Lawrence Shankland has one year left on his contract with Dundee United 
• MK Dons are also interested along with a number of other Championship clubs 
• Beerschot have offered £500,000 for the 25-year-old Scotland international   
• The Scottish striker is believed to be interested in opportunities to play abroad

Belgian side Beerschot are attempting to head off competition from Ipswich Town for Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland.

Beerschot, sister club of English Championship side Sheffield United, have offered £500,000 for the Dundee United forward who has scored three goals already this season.

The 25-year-old has a number of interested clubs in England keen to sign him but is understood to be intrigued by the opportunity to play abroad.

Beerschot, who are signing Sheffield United midfielder Femi Seriki on loan, finished ninth in the Belgian First Division A last season and are keen to build on that.

Shankland has been followed by Ipswich and MK Dons in recent months but there is also growing interest from Championship sides looking for a bargain.

He has one year left on contract and Dundee United boss Thomas Courts is aware of the increasing interest.

'Ultimately when we recruit what we feel are future assets, at some point bigger clubs are going to come calling and showing interest,' said Courts last week. 'We need to be prepared for that.

'I see that as a positive sign in terms of the strategy we've got at the club.'