Kevin Thelwell looks set to become the next director of football at Rangers, two years on from the departure of Ross Wilson.
Rangers have been operating without a sporting director ever since Wilson left Ibrox for Nottingham Forest back in April 2023.
Thelwell looks set to join Rangers when his contract with Premier League side Everton expires come the end of the season.
The incoming Ibrox director will need all the help he can get when it comes to rebuilding the Rangers squad, even if the Ibrox side look set to relieve the pressure.
Rangers ‘expected’ to strike deal for Bailey Rice
A number of young Rangers talents have broken through from the club’s academy in recent seasons but struggled to pin down a place.
Leon King, Adam Devine, Alex Lowry and Ross McCausland stand-out as Rangers academy starlets who have struggled to leave an impact at Ibrox.
But there is no Rangers talent more hyped than teenage midfield talent Bailey Rice.
Rice was hyped by Michael Beale during the ex-Ibrox manager’s tenure but struggled for minutes under Philippe Clement.
This season the midfielder has played at Old Trafford in the Europa League, whilst Barry Ferguson has given Rice chances since coming in through the door at Ibrox.
According to the Rangers Review, Rice is now expected to sign a new deal at Ibrox with his current contract set to expire in 2026.
Despite being the tender age of 18-years-old, there are big hopes for Rice at club and international level and the midfielder is expected to be a key player going forward.
The deal will come as a welcome boost and the relive the early pressure on Kevin Thelwell, who will be able to focus on other areas of the team.
Kevin Thelwell faces raft of big Rangers contract decisions
Once Bailey Rice’s contract situation is resolved, Thelwell will need to make a judgement on several other players in the Rangers squad.
Tom Lawrence has been linked to Wrexham with the midfielder’s Ibrox contract ticking down.
The midfielder is on a significant salary and has struggled with injury over three seasons in Glasgow.
Rangers centre-back John Souttar is coy about his Ibrox future, but the defender is about to enter the final year of his Gers contract and is a crucial player for the club.
Nicolas Raskin made his Belgium breakthrough this season and Rangers will need to either cash in this summer or tie the 24-year-old down.
Raskin has hinted at a longer Rangers stay but unless terms can be agreed this summer, the Gers will have to be ruthless with the ex-Standard Liege star.
The contract situations of all three players will need to be settled early on in Thelwell’s tenure, with a deal for Bailey Rice soothing an early headache for the 51-year-old.
