Rangers Must Meet Kevin Muscat’s ‘Major Say’ Demand | OneFootball

Kevin Muscat wants to have a ‘major say’ on who Rangers sign if he is to take the manager’s job at Ibrox and already has targets in mind, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

The Australian, who is currently the boss at Chinese Super League side Shanghai Port, has emerged as Rangers’ top target after Steven Gerrard turned them down.

Muscat has three games left in the Chinese Super League season as he bids to lead Shanghai Port to the title.

Rangers currently have Stevie Smith as interim boss and are trying to line up Muscat to come in, but despite edging towards an agreement, it appears the Shanghai Port boss has a key demand that the Gers must meet.

Muscat wants to have a ‘major say’ in new signings, which could put him on a collision course with sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

The Australian already has targets in mind, using his contacts in the Far East and England, and will want to get his men.

Having a major say in signings is a key condition that Muscat needs to be met in order for him to accept the job as Rangers manager.

Rangers may have to decide whether to strip much of the recruitment power from Thelwell and then put it in Muscat’s hands.

Thelwell has already come under major fire for Rangers having a poor summer transfer window, with one former Gers star recently dubbing the squad average and insisting a long unbeaten run is beyond them.

If Muscat does arrive after the end of the Chinese league season on 22nd November, that would give him just over a month to line up signings for the winter transfer window.

With Hearts roaring ahead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, Rangers run the very real risk of being shut out of the top two this season if they lose further ground.

That would mean no way to get into the lucrative Champions League league phase next term, unless the Gers could mastermind an unlikely triumph in this season’s Europa League.

Shanghai Port next face Shandong Taishan next weekend and currently boast a two-point lead at the top of the Chinese Super League table.