Graeme Souness reckons Leeds United may very well find themselves in the role of a feeder club for Rangers if a 49ers-inclusive consortium takes over the Scottish Premiership giants.
US businessmen Paraag Marathe and Andrew Cavenagh are presently engaged in discussions to seal the deal for the Gers, bringing the 49ers' financial clout into play alongside their existing ownership of Leeds.
Long-standing speculation surrounding a takeover at Ibrox has intensified, with Andy Mason and Les Allan, who spearheaded the investor search, pinpointing Cavenagh and the 49ers as significant players. Marathe, who dominates as the president of 49ers Enterprises and the chairman at Leeds, could usher in an era where Daniel Farke's squad operates under the Gers' wing, suggests ex-Rangers icon Souness.
Souness, who donned the Rangers shirt 73 times and also commanded from the dugout, relayed his thoughts to the Daily Mail: "Any prospective buyer of Glasgow Rangers will quickly understand that they are not just buying a football club - they are buying an institution," adding. "If it were to be the 49ers, there's early talk that Rangers could be a feeder club for Leeds."
Yet, the Liverpool and Scotland legend sees an alternative future too: "But if they were to take Rangers up a few more rungs, I believe it could be the other way around. There's such huge potential to take this club to another level," reports the Mirror.
With aspirations of a Premier League comeback on the horizon, Leeds currently sit second in the Championship standings, but a match against Millwall tonight stands between them and reclaiming the top spot.
The 49ers are on the brink of clinching a 51 per cent majority stake in Rangers, setting their sights on rejuvenating the club struggling within Scotland's premier league. The team, currently trailing Celtic by 16 points, yearns to reclaim the glory of their 2021 Scottish Premiership triumph under Steven Gerrard—their first in ten years.