Allen linked with director of football role at Rangers

Rangers appear to be closing in on a director of football with Mark Allen, the academy director at Manchester City, emerging as a surprise candidate for the role.

The Ibrox club refused to comment but sources close to City have claimed the move is imminent.

Welshman Allen has been in charge of the successful academy at the Etihad Stadium since 2009.

A semi-professional player for Cwmbran and Port Talbot who also had a spell at Swindon Town, he then spent almost 20 years in the media industry with MTV and Deluxe Digital before joining City. Allen is highly regarded by the owners of City, although their youth system was hit by controversy last month when the Premier League fined them £300,000 and banned them from signing certain academy players for two years after they were found guilty of contacting family members of players who were registered with other clubs.

Rangers have been pursuing a director of football for several months as part of a reshaped management structure at the club. They missed out on their number one target, Ross Wilson, who opted to remain as head of recruitment and scouting at Southampton.