Rangers head coach Barry Ferguson will take charge of what is expected to be his final game at Ibrox when the Gers welcome Dundee United to Glasgow on Wednesday night.
The 47-year-old was named Rangers boss until the end of the season following the dismissal of Philippe Clement at the end of February.
Club legend Ferguson has since won just 38.5% of his 13 matches in charge of Rangers and multiple reports have suggested that his interim spell is likely to come to an end when the Scottish Premiership season concludes this weekend.
Sky Sports News claims that Rangers are hopeful of appointing a new manager within the coming weeks, with club chiefs currently working to cut down an extensive list of options.
It is understood that any managerial appointment will not need to wait on the official completion of the club's new takeover, with a US consortium consisting of health insurance tycoon Andrew Cavenagh and San Francisco-based 49ers Enterprises expected to take control at Ibrox in June.
A number of managerial candidates have recently been linked with the Rangers hotseat, and here, Sports Mole takes a look at four names who could be in the frame to become the club's next permanent boss.
Davide Ancelotti
© Imago
As reported by Diario AS, journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that Rangers have made contact with Davide Ancelotti, the son of Carlo Ancelotti who has been identified as a candidate for new head coach job at Ibrox.
The 35-year-old - who has also been linked with Serie A side Como amidst uncertainty over the future of their head coach Cesc Fabregas - is expected to leave his current role as an assistant coach at Real Madrid at the end of the domestic campaign in Spain, as his father has been confirmed as the new Brazil manager, with Xabi Alonso set to replace him at the Santiago Bernabeu and bring his own staff.
Instead of joining his father as part of the coaching setup with Brazil, Davide has been tipped to step into senior management for the first time having previously worked as an assistant at Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton.
The Italian, who is known by Rangers' incoming sporting director Kevin Thelwell from his time at Goodison Park, is believed to be open to the idea of becoming a manager in his own right, and has been ever since he was linked with the Everton vacancy at the beginning of 2023.
BBC columnist Mina Rzouki has described Ancelotti as his father's 'secret weapon' during his coaching career, with the pair winning a total of 14 trophies together, including two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues.
Steven Gerrard
© Imago
Could Steven Gerrard make a sensational return to Ibrox? The 44-year-old was briefly listed as one of the bookmakers' favourites to take charge following the dismissal of Clement earlier this year, before the arrival of Ferguson.
Gerrard enjoyed a successful spell as Gers boss between June 2018 and November 2021, famously winning the 2020-21 Premiership title with 102 points and going the entire campaign unbeaten.
The Liverpool legend opted to leave Rangers to become Aston Villa manager, where he spent just 11 months in charge, and he most recently experienced a one-and-a-half-year spell with Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ettifaq, but he decided to leave by mutual consent in January.
At the beginning of April, Gerrard spoke about a potential return to management, saying on That Peter Crouch Podcast: "I don't want to be back in work, not at the moment. I've just come out, so I am happy waking up, being free, doing the family stuff and being free from the stress.
"I will go back in at some point but when it is round the clock for 18 months, I just want to be free and do normal things that you can't do when you are coaching like a game of golf or go down the boozer.
"I want to do normal things that you can't really do when you're coaching, so I am all good. I'm good and stress free. I'm out of work in terms of the coaching and management, which is obviously 24/7."
Russell Martin
© Imago
Rangers could replace one former player with another in the dugout, as Russell Martin is believed to be another managerial candidate on the Gers' radar.
The 39-year-old spent a brief period on loan at Ibrox in 2018 and has been out of managerial work since being sacked by Southampton in December last year.
Sky Sports News claims that Martin has been sounded out by Rangers over the first-team job, but it remains unknown as to whether the Gers will step up their interest in the former MK Dons and Swansea City boss.
Martin, whose management style is built around a controlled, possession-based and attacking philosophy and has build a reputation of working with young players, confirmed earlier this year that he has already rejected offers from the UK and abroad and is waiting for the right opportunity to return to management.
Rob Edwards
© Imago
Another manager under consideration by Rangers and who is currently out of work is Rob Edwards, who left his role at Luton Town by mutual agreement in January with the Hatters having since suffered relegation from the Championship.
The 42-year-old has previously worked with Thelwell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he began his coaching career as an interim boss in 2016 before going on to manage Telford, England Under-16s, Forest Green Rovers, Watford and most recently Luton.
Edwards, who guided Luton to the Premier League in 2023, is regarded by some as one of English football's brightest and best young coaches due to his ability to develop young players and adopt a progressive style of play.
However, it remains unknown at this stage as to how high up Edwards is placed on Rangers' list of managerial targets, with BBC Sport reporting that the Gers are yet to establish a leading candidate to be their new manager.
Oliver Thomas
