A former Manchester United midfielder has emerged as a shock contender to take over at Rangers after Steven Gerrard snubbed a return to his former side.
Gerrard, 45, who won the Premiership title for the Glasgow giants in 2021 before leaving for Aston Villa, held talks in London over replacing Russell Martin over the course of Thursday and Friday.
However, with Daily Mail Sport having reported that he was eager to be given control over transfers should he go back to Rangers, it has emerged that Gerrard has now told chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chair Paraag Marathe that he wishes to step away from the race.
A Rangers delegation also involving sporting director Kevin Thelwell, CEO Patrick Stewart and Gretar Steinsson of 49ers Enterprises have been talking to alternative candidates with former Sheffield Wednesday head coach Danny Rohl understood to be regarded positively.
Rangers, though, are still eager to settle on their new boss during the international break and ahead of the home league game with Dundee United next weekend.
And, according to Sky Sports, ex-United man Michael Carrick, who was most recently in charge of Middlesborough, could end up on the hosteat.
A former Manchester United star has emerged as a contender to be the next Rangers manager
Michael Carrick, who coached Middlesborough, has been linked with taking over at Ibrox
Carrick led Middlesborough in 2022, and led them to the Championship play-offs, where they lost against Coventry, in his first year in charge.
The following year, Boro finished eighth, and Carrick signed a new three-year deal. After taking them to 10th last season, however, he was sacked.
Having also spent time in charge of United as a caretaker boss, Carrick is keen to continue his coaching career and could be provided to do just that in Scotland with Rangers following the toxic departure of Martin.
Others, though, are understood to be in the running. Rohl is the front-runner, while Kieran McKenna and Ralph Hasenhuttl have also been discussed, according to Sky.
But Gerrard was the club’s first choice, and former England captain Gerrard’s decision will come as a blow to many supporters keen to see him give it another whirl as boss after he admitted on a podcast hosted his former international team-mate Rio Ferdinand that he felt ready to take up another role in management.
‘There’s a part of me that still feels that there’s a bit of unfinished business in terms of wanting to go in and face another couple of exciting challenges, but I want a certain type of challenge,’ said Gerrard, who resigned as head coach of Al-Ettifaq in January after 18 months at the helm.
‘I want to be at a team that’s going to compete to win because I think that suits me better.
‘I’ve also got time now where I’m not in a rush, where I know the right people that are out there to make me a stronger and a better coach. They’re the people I need to find – because, if I get the right match with them people around me, I know and I’ve proved I can be successful as a manager.
It comes after Steven Gerrard snubbed the chance to return to his former club in Scotland
‘I’ve had five or six really interesting phone calls since I stopped in Saudi and I haven’t been ready because I haven’t got that team set around me.
‘My daughter’s just had a baby. I’ve just become a granddad. I wasn’t ready. I haven’t got my staff ready, so, unfortunately, them opportunities or them phone calls have come at the wrong time, if you like.’
It is understood German coach Rohl was also sounded out by Rangers chiefs in the summer prior to the disastrous appointment of Martin. His only job as a club manager was at Wednesday, but he has held down coaching roles at the likes of Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig over the course of his career.
He joined The Owls in October 2023, but left Hillsborough during pre-season with the club suffering all kinds of financial issues. The 36-year-old took charge of 89 matches there, recording 34 wins, 21 draws and 34 losses.
They finished 20th in the Championship during his first season and climbed to 12th last term.
