Kevin Muscat hire at Rangers to help Rangers sign Cho Gue-sung as personal terms thrashed out
Rangers are edging closer to hiring their new manager with almost two weeks gone since Michael Beale was sacked at Ibrox.
The Daily Record reported on 13 October that personal terms have been thrashed out for both Kevin Muscat and Philippe Clement to ensure that one a decision is made, an appointment can be made as quickly as possible.
It is understood that Yokohama F Marinos manager Muscat and former Monaco boss Clement “hope to find out this weekend” if they’ll be the next man in charge at Ibrox.
If the Light Blues go down the route of hiring Muscat, they’ll be opening themselves up to a transfer market that’s been pretty much ignored by the Govan club throughout history.
As seen at Celtic Park, Ange Postecoglou’s knowledge of the Asian football market led to an influx of Japanese and South Korean players.
Muscat is likely to have a similar grasp on football in that part of the world and that could help Rangers throughout his potential tenure in charge.
In January, Rangers were linked with a move for South Korea striker Cho Gue-sung.
Sky Sports reported on 10 January that Celtic were also in talks to sign the 25-year-old, who Rangers were “aware of”. After Celtic failed with a £3million bid, Cho spent the rest of the season at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in South Korea.
In the summer, FC Midtjylland signed Cho and he’s since been on fire in the Danish Superligaen by scoring five goals and supplying two assists in 10 appearances.
He also scored against Omonia Nicosia in the Europa Conference League qualifiers and bagged a goal at St James’ Park for South Korea in a friendly win over Saudi Arabia.
Rangers are in desperate need of a goalscoring striker after Beale oversaw a ridiculously poor summer transfer window, in which he signed players who are struggling to adapt in Scotland.
Cyriel Dessers, Danilo and Sam Lammers – three forwards – are among those struggling the most since moving to Ibrox with loanee Abdallah Sima the top scorer at this point with seven goals. Right-back James Taverner (six) has the second most.
Cho’s form in Denmark suggests that he can cut the mustard in European football and as the Scottish Premiership is a step up from the Danish league, a move to Rangers would surely be a tempting one with the influence of Asian football growing on these shores.
Muscat hasn’t managed in South Korea but the former Melbourne Victory and Sint-Truiden manager will no doubt be able to lure in one or two players from that part of the world considering the fact he’s been at Yokohama for a couple of years, winning the J1 League and Japanese Super Cup.
In other Rangers news, personal terms are agreed with a new manager as James Bisgrove and John Bennett close on a final decision.