Rangers close in on manager for ‘new chapter’

Rangers’ manager search is “progressing well” and should be finished in “the coming days,” according to new sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

The club are looking to replace Philippe Clement, who was fired in February, with a consortium of investors led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, who set up majority ownership at Ibrox last week.

Rangers finished last season 17 points clear of Scottish Premiership champions Celtic, but Barry Ferguson assumed head coaching duties temporarily.

Russell Martin and Davide Ancelotti are regarded as the front-runners in the position.

Our goal is clear: we need to win, Thelwell told the club website. “This is a new chapter for Rangers, and we recognize success won’t come easy.”

“It’s my goal, with discipline and ambition, to deliver that.” We’ll do everything in our power to advance this organization as quickly and sustainably as possible.

Thelwell assumed overall control of all football operations, including men’s, women’s, and academy, according to Rangers’ announcement in April.

The 51-year-old previously held similar positions at the New York Red Bulls and the Wolverhampton Wanderers before moving to Glasgow after three years as Everton’s director of football.

Additionally, it was revealed on Sunday that Dan Purdy, Everton’s former head of recruitment, will take the role of technical director in the place of Nils Koppen.

Thelwell has already been a member of the league’s compensation tribunal working group for 2025-26 and has already been appointed.