Jurgen Klopp to Rangers mooted after Red Bull development at Ibrox
Jurgen Klopp has been mooted as a surprise candidate to replace Barry Ferguson as the Rangers manager.
Ferguson is unlikely to be given a chance beyond this season after Rangers crashed out of the UEFA Europa League last week.
Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe, who are weeks away from announcing their takeover, are poised to bring in a new name to take the reins at Ibrox instead.
The incoming owners have seemingly set the ball rolling for such big changes, with departing Everton director of football, Kevin Thelwell, already lined up as the Gers’ new sporting director.
Klopp to Rangers on cards as manager hunt takes ‘surprise’ turn
Thelwell is already considered a great appointment for Rangers, not least because of his role in helping Everton navigate through their financial struggles.
The Welshman also has experience working in the Red Bull football ecosystem under his belt, having served as New York’s director of football for two years between 2020 and 2022.
| Club | Role | Appointed | Until |
| Everton | Director of football | February 2022 | End of 2024-25 season |
| New York Red Bulls | Director of football | February 2020 | February 2022 |
| Wolves | Sporting director | August 2016 | February 2020 |
With Marathe also working closely with Red Bull at Leeds, Roger Hannah believes Rangers could rope in someone from the football group’s ranks as their new manager.
“It wouldn’t surprise me, given that Kevin Thelwell has a Red Bull link, if it’s someone who is a known quantity to the people who are coming in”, Hannah said on the Coffee Club FC (23 April).
This led to Bill Leckie suggesting Klopp, who was appointed as Red Bull’s head of global soccer in January, as an ambitious manager candidate for the Ibrox outfit.
“Jurgen Klopp?”, the journalist asked.
However, Hanner was quick to dismiss the suggestion, insisting that the German tactician is more likely to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.
Hannah said: “Well, I’d imagine he might rock up at Real Madrid rather than Rangers, I’d suggest.”
Leckie quickly admitted that the former Liverpool boss might be too high for the Light Blues, although they could still target someone from Red Bull.
“I think that’s very true, but that is where you start from if you’re going to bid for somebody who’s in Red Bull”, Leckie replied.
“But, there are a lot of very good coaches and managers in the Red Bull stable.”
Cavenagh and Marathe await takeover at Ibrox
While Klopp might be too ambitious a target for Rangers, it would not be a surprise if Cavenagh and Marathe appoint a big-name manager as their next boss.
However, any such decision will have to wait until the US consortium involving the 49ers Enterprises goes through.
It emerged earlier this week that the incoming owners have found a breakthrough in talks to acquire a 51 per cent stake at Ibrox, and it is only a matter of time before there is a handover of power.