It’s set to be a busy few months at Rangers as the club is taken over by US backers and looks to appoint a new director of football and a new manager.
Rangers have had a disastrous domestic season and are about to see Celtic romp to a sixth treble in nine years, something which is unforgivable in an Ibrox context.
As a result the club’s current owners are selling up and shipping out, with reports this week confirming that 49ers Enterprises have agreed to buy 51% of Rangers alongside Andrew Cavenagh.
Before Rangers look to who will become the club’s 20th permanent manager, 49ers chief Gretar Steinsson is targeting a sporting director as an executive reshuffle continues at pace.
As reports surround Rangers interest in Kevin Thelwell, one leading broadcaster is claiming that the Gers are now set to officially announce a deal for the Everton chief.
Rangers ‘set to name’ Kevin Thelwell as director of football
Sky Sports claim that Rangers are ‘set to name’ Everton sporting director Kevin Thelwell as the Ibrox club’s new director of football.
Thelwell, 51, was an academy coach at Preston North End and Derby County before rising up the executive ranks at Wolves.
After a stint in the USA with New York Red Bulls, Thelwell has spent the last three seasons at Everton but announced earlier in the campaign plans to leave Merseyside come the end of the season.
According to Sky, Rangers have taken full advantage and will appoint Thelwell as the club’s new sporting director barring any late disaster.
The move comes after a Sportsology review recommended Rangers look for a new director of football, a role which has been left vacant since Ross Wilson left for Nottingham Forest in 2023.
The move will shake the foundations of Rangers as they look to implement a new executive structure and Thelwell will be tasked with rebuilding the Rangers squad under American ownership.
Kevin Thelwell reflects on ‘incredible achievement‘ at Everton
There is plenty made about Kevin Thelwell’s time at Everton, where the director of football had a net transfer spend of +£80m as the Toffees struggled with FFP.
Thewell also managed to slash the club’s wage bill by around £20m whilst keeping them competitive and, most importantly, keeping them in the Premier League.
When Thelwell announced he was leaving the Goodison Park club, who have just been bought over by US backers in the Friedkin Group, the director of football reflected on his time in Liverpool.
“I feel that I leave with the club in a much better place than when I arrived, both on the pitch and off it,” Thelwell said in a statement released by the Association of Sporting Directors.
”Being consistently outspent by every team in the league has not been easy but it was a necessity to ensure the survival of our club – and that is something that I’ve always been honest and open about.
”My goal has always been to manage with the multiple immediate challenges, without jeopardising the long-term future of the club. As a result, we are in a much stronger financial position, and I am excited about where we are on the pitch.
”From a football perspective we have had to be creative through player trading.
”Whilst we have received £225m in player sales over the last three years, our circumstances have only allowed us to spend £145m across six transfer windows.
”Whilst we haven’t got every move right, to build a team capable of competing at Premier League level against that landscape, having to be pragmatic in moving on some of our best players and future talent in the process, is an incredible achievement.”
