Graeme Souness reacts to Leeds United twist in 49ers takeover bid at Rangers
Graeme Souness knows what it takes to succeed at Rangers, watching on what has been a shocking season at Ibrox.
Despite that, Rangers are heading for a potential takeover through Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises, headed by Paraag Marathe, looking to buy a 51 per cent stake.
The news regarding a potential takeover has been circulating for months, with a deal in principle now agreed with the US investors.
A takeover could benefit Rangers massively
On the pitch, Rangers have struggled to catch up to Celtic, as they Bhoys run away with the Scottish Premiership title. The Gers have been unable to dethrone Celtic as champions since the 2021-22 season.
A potential takeover backed by wealthy US investors could see a fresh injection of cash in the Glaswegian club, a much-needed requirement to improve the squad and bring stability to the team.
Rangers will also look to hire a strong manager after parting ways with Philippe Clement in February, with former Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez said to be in the running for the gig at Ibrox.
The potential new owners will steady the ship and arm the club with necessary resources to go toe-to-toe with Celtic on all fronts.
| Opposition | Home/Away |
| Fenerbahce | Home |
| Celtic | Away |
| Dundee FC | Away |
| Hibernian | Home |
Souness has shared his thoughts on the takeover and what it would mean to have partly the same owners as Leeds United, who are pushing for a return to the Premier League.
Speaking to Ian Herbert, writing in the print edition of Scottish Daily Mail (12 March, pg 65), Souness said: “Any prospective buyer of the Glasgow Rangers will quickly understand that they are not just buying a football club – they are buying an institution.
“If it were to be 49ers, there’s early talk that Rangers could become a feeder club for Leeds. But if they were to take Rangers up a few more rungs, I believe it could be the other way around.
“There’s such huge potential to take this club to another level.”
The Light Blues look to eliminate Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce
Rangers already have their one foot in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League, after defeating Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce 3-1 in Istanbul last week.
Barry Ferguson welcomes Mourinho to Ibrox for the second leg on Thursday, with a tie against either Roma or Bilbao awaiting if they go through.
Rangers defender Leon Balogun has insisted that the Scottish giants are focused and ready for any of Mourinho’s tricks in the second leg at Ibrox.
In the first leg, it was Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny who netted goals for the Gers as Fenerbahce were left stunned with Rangers’ spirited away performance. Advancing to the quarterfinals will bode well to the potential new owners and will also help Ferguson make his case for a permanent role at Ibrox.