Credit: Imago]

Zak Anderton

Fri 21 February 2025 8:10, UK Updated Fri 21 February 2025 9:20, UK

John McGarry has speculated whether Rangers would become part of a breakaway league from UEFA in the future.

The Gers have been the centre of attention in Scottish Football over the last couple of days due to the takeover news that has emerged from the 49ers Enterprises.

The multi-billion brand have reportedly shown an interest in acquiring the Ibrox outfit who have been looking for investment for a good couple of years now.

While talks for the takeover have been reported to be concluded in the imminent future, nothing is yet set in stone but that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from turning.

Rangers ‘always’ set to be part of any sort of talks about a UEFA breakaway league

The 49ers have worked wonders since taking over Leeds United in the summer of 2023 and adding yet another British club to their repertoire could be exactly what they need to take their investment in football to the next level.

While Leeds in itself is a massive club, the fact Rangers consistently compete in European competitions and have a massive fanbase is likely one of their main reasons behind showing an interest in the Ibrox outfit.

Which is why, McGarry, while writing for the print edition of the Daily Mail (20 February, page 78) has speculated that if any talks of a breakaway league from UEFA do emerge, a “huge” club such as Rangers will “always” be in the conversation, when he discussed what might be attractive about the Gers to the 49ers Enterprises.

“Even though the revamp of UEFA’s club competitions has screwed down the volume on talk of a breakaway European league, football never stands still,” he wrote.

“A huge club playing in a small country, Rangers will always be part of any discussion if the tectonic plates shift again.

“More immediately, however, the main motivation for the proposed takeover would appear that the purchase of a controlling stake in the Govan institution now looks highly attractive.”

Rangers need to ensure the 49ers takeover goes through

The past couple of seasons have been fairly torrid for Rangers and their fans. The 2024/25 season has been particularly testing, especially since the Ibrox outfit are now 13 points behind arch-rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

Indeed, they may have made their way to the Scottish League Cup final and may have finished in the top eight of the Europa League but it is evidently clear more needs to come from Philippe Clement and his men.

However, it feels like that’s near-on impossible at the moment due to the lack of funding they have from their board members.

The 49ers are a multi-billion franchise and it’s hard to see how their inclusion in the running of things at Ibrox wouldn’t make things better.

Only time will tell what the future holds but if Rangers want to progress and make some waves outside of Scotland, 49ers Enterprises coming seems to be the best way for them to do that.