Rangers’ hunt for a new permanent manager continues, and one former Premier League and La Liga heavyweight has been backed to take the club by the horns and go head-to-head with Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic.
With Barry Ferguson strengthening his case with a huge 3-1 away win against Fenerbahce, speculation remains over who will land the role full-time. Steven Gerrard’s name has been floated after his exit from Al Ettifaq, but now a new contender has emerged—Rafa Benitez.
Benitez Backed to Take the Ibrox Hot Seat
The ex-Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Newcastle boss is out of work following his stint at Celta Vigo, and former player Gordon Dalziel believes he’s the man to challenge Celtic’s dominance in Scotland.
Dalziel told Open Goal:
“I would take [Benitez] all day long. I look at the other side of the city and I look at what they’ve got in Brendan Rodgers. I think Rangers need a big character who really believes in himself to go head to head [with Celtic].”
However, he also suggested Rangers could gamble on an unknown name:
“Rangers might go for a Ted Lasso if you know what I mean? Bring somebody in who we’ve never heard of.”
Benitez Watching Rangers’ Progress
Benitez himself has previously spoken about Rangers, revealing he kept a close eye on Steven Gerrard’s title-winning run.
He said back in 2021:
“Firstly, congratulations Steve! He has done really well this season. When you’re young, you don’t always realise why a coach is pushing you, but when you become a manager, you understand.”
Could Rangers Really Land Benitez?
With a potential 49ers takeover on the horizon, Rangers could have the financial backing to land a proven European winner like Benitez. But will they go big or take a left-field gamble? The wait for a permanent Ibrox boss continues…
