Steven Gerrard is on the shortlist to take over at Rangers. If he did return to the hot-seat for a second spell, he would be tasked with leading the Scottish club into a new era, with a takeover now being finalized.
Once linked with taking over from Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, it has been a turbulent few years for Gerrard. The Liverpool legend has seen his managerial stock fall, following stints with Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq.
The Saudi gig was always likely to be testing, with Gerrard managing one of the teams outside of the “big four” that are given direct state investment. But he was still able to sign former Liverpool players Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum, having previously linked up with Philippe Coutinho at Villa.
In both cases, there was a sense that Gerrard failed to get the maximum from the talent at his disposal. When his time at Al-Ettifaq came to end in January by mutual consent, his path back to top-level management looked as complex as it has ever done.
But it is easy to forget just how well he did at Rangers, where he coached between 2018 and 2021. Those links back to Liverpool were not entirely without merit, even if the overwhelming sense now is one of relief at how things have worked out with Arne Slot.
Gerrard’s time at Ibrox culminated with an unbeaten, invincible season in his final full campaign. Rangers conceded just 13 goals, amassing 102 points without losing a match and denying Celtic the much-coveted “10 in a row”.
And it appears as though potential new Rangers owners have not forgotten the impact Gerrard had. 49ers Enterprises are in the process of finalizing a takeover at Ibrox, and the former Liverpool midfielder is on the shortlist.
(Image: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
According to the Mail, Rangers has drawn up a three-man list for replacing Philippe Clement. Gerrard is in the running alongside former Southampton manager Russell Martin, and Italian coach Davide Ancelotti — the son of Carlo, who has served as his father’s assistant at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton and Real Madrid.
The search is ramping up in intensity following the departure of interim boss Barry Ferguson. It is believed to be in its final stages.
And Gerrard is thought to be in pole position. Ancelotti’s lack of front-line experience is a worry for the incoming Rangers top brass, paving the way for a sensational return.
Celtic has won each of the last four titles since Gerrard’s departure. But the 49ers Enterprises takeover could alter the balance of power, with the American group having most recently funnelled its wealth into a successful Premier League promotion bid with Leeds United.
Ally McCoist suggested last week that if Rangers is drawing up managerial shortlists, then the takeover must be “just about done”. He is surely right to suggest that the club would not appoint a new manager before changing hands.
From Gerrard’s perspective, Rangers is likely to be the best job by far that he could land at the present moment in time, given how his last two jobs have gone. To be given the chance to join at such an exciting time would be quite the turn-up for the books.
And yet the move would also make a degree of sense for the new owners. Nobody has fared anything like as well as Gerrard in the last four years, and he knows the league and club well.
His perennial playing rival Frank Lampard has recently revived his own managerial career from the dead with a spirited Championship playoff run at Coventry. Gerrard may soon get the chance to follow suit north of the border — pitting his wits against his former coach Brendan Rodgers in the process.
