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Here is the latest news to digest when it comes to a proposed takeover of Rangers by the San Francisco 49ers.
The American hype train is showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to Rangers excitement levels.
Buoyed by Europa League progress against Fenerbahce and a win away at Celtic, the Light Blues are looking to put a difficult domestic campaign behind them. That could happen with a game-changing takeover spearheaded by 49ers Enterprises, the investment wing of the San Francisco 49ers NFL franchise.
US health tycoon Andrew Cavanagh is also part of the revolutionary talks that could take Rangers into a new frontier. Here are the latest headlines when it comes to the proposed Rangers takeover.
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A $9 billion reason for Rangers to get excited
Investment banker Les Allan says he was the one who introduced Rangers to the Americans and has broken cover via the Warm Up to give an update on the situation. The insider says the valuation of the 49ers brand should have fans buzzing as it proved how serious these investors truly are.
He said: “In the last few months, he (Andrew Cavanagh) teamed up with the 49ers and that changes the game a little bit when you’re starting to work with an organisation quite as established and at the very top table of the top sports in the world with the top commercial relationships.
“Can Rangers and Scottish football expect to see an uplift in the overall commercial profile of Rangers and the rest of Scottish football? Yeah. They own very serious professional sporting assets, when you look at how they run those assets, you’re looking at a high degree of professionalism, top tier, top table commercial relationships and sporting acumen, that’s what I’d expect to see.
“Remember that they own the San Francisco 49ers, one of the more successful franchises, apparently worth up to $9 billion, are coming into Scottish football. You think about the decision making process behind that.
“Rangers fans should be super excited, but as Scottish football fans; you’ve got to think, that’s going to draw the eyes and the attention of other American sports owners at that level, and that’s what’s happened over a period with the premier league in England is that suddenly, you’re in that room. Someone that's, say, one of the other NFL team owners, says why did you buy Glasgow Rangers? Why did you buy Leeds United? And the 49ers will say what they want to say.
“And suddenly you've got someone else that's just been educated on the opportunity that the 49ers have moved on. Maybe someone goes back to their office and says, hey, let's take a look at this Scottish football league. Let's have a proper look at it and see if there's something that makes sense for us. So I think it's very good. I really do. Because in the end, we're fighting for funding, we're fighting for investment, fighting for attention, sporting prowess, which makes the game better in Scotland. That's what we all want, right? And just to round off your own personal role, it's incredible how this all comes to pass.”
Transfer splurge
With added investment will come the hunt for a new boss. Barry Ferguson is the interim gaffer after Philippe Clement’s sacking but whoever is there for the long term, former defender turned pundit Lee McCulloch reckons thr 49ers will arm them with a healthy transfer budget.
He told the Daily Record: “We’ll see what happens with that. I think it will be a real positive if it happens and then maybe there'll be funds there to enhance the playing squad. I think it's been a tighter budget than the normal Rangers standards the last few years.
“So every Rangers fan would welcome a little bit of extra money to recruit, to freshen up the squad and bring better quality in the squad. I think it's been needed. But I think the last couple of games, the last couple of Old Firm games, Rangers have got a little bit of belief back. Domestically in the league still a little bit to go, but I think the belief is there that we can do it in the Old Firm games, it's just putting that into a weekly mindset.”