The Spaniard is considered a live candidate by the consortium behind the Ibrox takeover
17:27, 08 Mar 2025
(Image: VCG via Getty Images)
Ally McCoist reckons that the Rangers job would interest Rafa Benitez as he looks to get back in the dugout.
Record Sportbroke the bombshell exclusive story last month that American businessman Andrew Cavenagh was leading a consortium bidding to buy a controlling stake in the Light Blues along with Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe, the main man behind NFL giants San Francisco 49ers’ investment wing. A deal has now been agreed in principle and talks over the future of the club are now ramping up behind the scenes - and it is understood that the consortium after considering the Champions League winning boss as a potential candidate as they draw up a shortlist.
Barry Ferguson is currently in the dugout on an interim basis following the decision to axe Philippe Clement - but faces an uphill battle to land the job on a permanent basis. And speaking to Football Insider, McCoist said: "One of the names I’ve heard is Rafa Benitez. He’s indicated an interest to get back into the game, but I think he wants the Premier League. It goes without saying that the Rangers job would interest someone like Rafa.”
Shanghai Port boss Kevin Muscat is also a name that won't go away when it comes to the Ibrox hot seat. He has gone on to lift a domestic double in China having been looked over for the job in favour of Clement after Michael Beale was shown the door.
Anderson Lopes - who fired the Yokohama F. Marinos to victory over Port in the Asian Champions League - has offered a hint to the manager that the Light Blues could be getting. He said of his former boss to Titan Sports: "Muscat is an outstanding manager.
Head coach Kevin Muscat of Shanghai Port is seen prior to the AFC Champions League Elite East Region match between Ulsan HD and Shanghai Port at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium
(Image: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
"I worked with him for a while, and he is truly capable and highly professional. After arriving in Shanghai last year, he quickly showcased his abilities, making the Port team play a different style of football."
With the takeover in the works behind the scene, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has moved to explain why the interest has been shown in the Scottish Premiership side. Speaking to the BBC's Scottish Football podcast, he said: "What they potentially you get from it is, if Rangers are appearing regularly in European football, or a successful documentary series that can be leveraged off the back of this, that is a benefit.
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"They are also seen as a trophy asset, because if Rangers are playing in Europe in a few years and they have got Bayern Munich or Barcelona coming to town - that is something that can win you over in terms of your peer group. Everyone else has a yacht, two helicopters and an apartment on Monaco - so how do you set yourself apart?
"To buy into an American sport franchise is ridiculously expensive - we are talking about billions of dollars. The cost of acquiring Rangers - or a 51 per cent stake - is far, far less than that. So you get A) A lot of fun, because you can go into the directors box when a match is taking place and B) You get kudos - what else are you going to do with your money?"