IT’S ALL YOURS
Rangers confident of landing Gerrard and promise him the cash to build a quality squad
RANGERS were last night confident of securing Steven Gerrard as manager on a three-year contract after assuring the Liverpool legend the necessary funds would be available to construct a squad to challenge Celtic.
The Ibrox club believed only one or two minor details were required to be finalised before the conclusion of a sensational deal to usher in a new era at Rangers with the 37-year-old Champions League winner in charge.
Former Liverpool and England captain Gerrard has been conducting his due diligence on the deal by quizzing confidants and key figures in the football world who have some knowledge of the situation and has received a wide spectrum of advice.
He will now decide on whether to commit to launching his managerial career in the hotbed of Glasgow rivalry.
Rangers chairman Dave King is intent, however, that Gerrard will not baulk at the idea on account of any budgetary issues, so the Ibrox board will meet his recruitment needs.
The Liverpool Under-18s coach — who is also understood to be wanted by English Championship club Ipswich Town — could be announced as Pedro Caixinha’s permanent replacement by midweek at the latest.
With a dozen or more current firstteam players set to leave Ibrox at the
end of the season, the new appointment will oversee another summer of Ibrox upheaval.
A medical within the next 24 hours for Allan McGregor will see the Scotland goalkeeper return to Rangers on a two-year deal, following boyhood fan Scott Arfield’s move from Burnley to Govan.
And Gerrard will be backed as the Rangers board bank on a managerial rookie to spend their money more wisely than Mark Warburton and Caixinha. Both made huge-wage signings in Joey Barton and Bruno Alves, who flopped in Scotland.
The departures of high-profile players such as Alves and cutting losses on hapless Caixinha signings Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera will create ample room for quality replacements.
Cashing in on 21-year-old top scorer Alfredo Morelos after one year will also hand Gerrard hard cash for rebuilding the squad.
Centre-half is the position where Rangers are short, but director of football Mark Allen’s scouting team have that area as priority.
Danny Wilson left in January, David Bates signed for Hamburg, Russell Martin’s loan from Norwich will end next month and Ross McCrorie is viewed primarily as a sitting midfielder.
Gerrard is likely to turn to longtime friend and his Liverpool assistant Tom Culshaw to be by his side, while Gary McAllister is expected to bring Scottish know-how to any backroom staff.
Gerrard will not be at Celtic Park today as Graeme Murty leads Rangers into the sixth Old Firm game of the season.
He will be without regular keeper Wes Foderingham, who has a shoulder problem, giving Jak Alnwick his Old Firm derby bow, while Alves remains sidelined.
‘Bruno will not be fit but he is getting fitter,’ reported Murty. ‘He spent time abroad having therapy, as he calls it, on his hamstring.’
Meanwhile, Murty has revealed his nearest and dearest want him to carry on in the role despite all the pressures associated with being Rangers manager.
He backed himself on Friday to see out the season by guiding the team to second place — and keep himself in contention for the permanent job if the club can’t lure their preferred choice to Ibrox.
‘My family and friends still want me to get the job,’ said Murty. ‘They are proud of the way I represent myself and the club.
‘I came here to be challenged. I have nothing but thanks for the board for the faith they have shown in me.’