Rangers ‘to hold Rafa Benitez talks’ as 49ers Enterprises plans set
Rafa Benitez may be part of the discussions at Rangers, as the 49ers Enterprises plans have been revealed ahead of their potential takeover.
The former Liverpool boss could move to Ibrox next summer if the Light Blues are on the lookout for a new manager.
Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe are in talks to take control of the Glaswegian outfit and subsequently make significant decisions.
Barry Ferguson has replaced Philippe Clement temporarily, but the Gers icon has found life difficult in the dugout so far, and Benitez has emerged as a name to be the Bears’ next permanent manager.
49ers to hold talks with Benitez soon
Benitez is one of the options being looked at by the Gers ahead of the 49ers’ takeover, Scott Burns says.
The Scottish Express Sport journalist revealed that the American consortium will hold talks with the 64-year-old head coach at Ibrox.
| Teams | Years |
| Valencia | 2001–2004 |
| Liverpool | 2004–2010 |
| Inter Milan | 2010 |
| Chelsea | 2012–2013 |
| Napoli | 2013–2015 |
| Real Madrid | 2015–2016 |
As things stand, there has been no contact between the Light Blues and Benitez, but it’s believed they will hold discussions with the experienced manager once the takeover is finalised.
Speaking on Hotline Live (4 March), Burns said: “It was suggested to me that Benitez was one of the options that Rangers were looking at. But I’m told it’s the incoming owners who will be looking at the next manager. And I know that they’ve started to look at options.
“I was told Benitez was one they were going to talk to. I spoke to a colleague who’s very close to Benitez and his agent, and he came back to me and said there has been no contact at all. If they are interested, they certainly haven’t taken it to the stage where they’ve said to Benitez that we want to talk to you or would you be open to discussions.
“As it stands, I think it might still be an early stage with the owners waiting to get past this next hurdle. I think once they get beyond that, I would expect things to be firmed up. And if Benitez is on the list, I would suggest they will speak to him.”
Benitez to Ibrox an ambitious managerial appointment
It feels unrealistic at this stage that Benitez will move to Ibrox next summer to be the next manager.
The Gers are definitely in need of a change in the dugout after Clement’s failures this season, but it seems unlikely that the former Liverpool boss will want to make his way to Glasgow.
Benitez has been one of the most influential managers in football over the years, although his prospects have dwindled recently.
The 64-year-old has been at Inter Milan, Napoli and Real Madrid, arguably making the Light Blues a not-so-compelling destination for him.
Ferguson probably knows he won’t be at Ibrox beyond this season, but it remains to be seen who the possible new owners will replace him with.
While it’s encouraging to see top names being linked with the managerial job at the Bears, Benitez doesn’t look like the right option for them.
The Spanish head coach is seemingly past his prime, and the Glaswegian outfit should instead focus on different names.