Credit: Imago

Dan Godfrey

Fri 7 March 2025 17:10, UK

Rangers must organise their agenda once the anticipated new American regime takes over as planned at Ibrox.

Backed by Paraag Marathe and 49ers Enterprises, the US-based consortium continue their progress towards buying out Rangers, with several more shareholders needed on board to sell their respective stakes.

Marathe and Andrew Cavenagh are heading up the Rangers bidding party, who want a controlling stake of 51 per cent at Ibrox.

Supporters are intent on discovering what this will mean for player recruitment and the reconstruction of the squad, in a desperate feeling to compete with Celtic domestically again.

Vaclav Cerny needs to be permanently signed

Rangers may have faltered domestically as Barry Ferguson replaces Philippe Clement and gets straight into action upon his Ibrox return, but in Europe they seem to find another gear.

To sustain the challenge all year round and compete on the biggest stage for trophies once more, the Light Blues have to maintain a squad full of capable players.

Cerny, 27, absolutely falls into that category. Signed on loan from Wolfsburg in the summer, the winger comes with a fee payable to the Bundesliga outfit of around £6.75million if Rangers want him permanently.

The Czech international has 24 goal contributions including 17 goals this season, added to by his crucial brace against Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Thursday (6 March).

He has been one of the saviours of a drab season so it continues the trend that Cerny is delivering in the competition propping Rangers’ season up for the fans.

Rangers fans want investment from the new owners

If and when the takeover deal formally goes through, Rangers supporters will be on edge to see how they plan to invest in the playing side.

For years now, Gers have been unable to compete with Celtic for the best players on the market, with Brendan Rodgers’ side shelling out eight-figure sums to sweep Scotland’s trophy allowance and feature in the Champions League.

Rangers have tried and made errors with squad overhauls in the past and if the 49ers deal enables them to shop in a higher calibre of market, that would be hugely welcomed by the fans in Govan and could turn history back the Light Blues’ way.

Keeping Cerny permanently would be a massive statement of intent given his price tag. It would be something realistically not too viable at present with a contract ongoing at Wolfsburg until 2027, but the takeover could come just in time.

Cerny is a match-winner; Rangers need match-winners. And this one could be a gamechanger.