With the 49ers’ takeover complete and Russell Martin appointed, Rangers have now reportedly opened talks to sign a Premier League veteran who could become one of their first arrivals of the summer.
Rangers officially appoint Russell Martin
After much deliberation and countless links with moves for the likes of Davide Ancelotti and former manager Steven Gerrard, Rangers finally came to the decision to hire Russell Martin on Thursday. The former Southampton boss is back in the technical area for the first time since his St Mary’s stint ended with the sack and will be well aware of the extent of the task that he now has on his hands.
By the end of his tenure, the former Norwich City defender will be desperate to be up there with the most successful managers in the club’s history. Whether he is able to stop the trend of Celtic dominance in the Scottish Premiership remains to be seen, however.
Welcoming Martin, new sporting director Kevin Thelwell told Rangers’ media channels: “We went through a quite diligent and thorough process and tried to use the time we had at our disposal to the very best opportunity. Right from the very start, it was clear to me, and the other guys involved in the process, that Russell was the standout candidate. He was outstanding.
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He’s got just two years left on his current deal.
“He has a lot of experience as a manager and head coach, and over the course of that career it’s been clear to see that he’s sharpened that approach in his methods, in terms of technical, tactical, and also from a personal perspective.”
The new sporting director has wasted no time before turning his focus towards the transfer market after appointing Martin, either. The Gers have even reportedly made their first move to sign an experienced Premier League defender this summer.
Rangers open talks to sign Coady
As reported by Daily Record, Rangers have now opened talks to sign Conor Coady from Leicester City, seeking to find out what it would take to make a deal happen this summer. The experienced defender has just one year left on his current deal at the club and will, therefore, have a decision to make sooner rather than later.
Given that Thelwell is reportedly an admirer of Coady too, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain may find himself near the top of Rangers’ wishlist in the coming months.
Whilst it’s fair to assume that Coady’s price tag could drop this summer given how little time remains on his current Leicester deal, there may be no escaping his £75,000-a-week salary for Rangers if they decide to make their move.
Whether Rangers deem the defender’s experience invaluable enough to match his current salary will be the question.
To Coady’s credit, even at 32 years old and part of a relegated squad, he still found himself at the centre of Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who told reporters last season: “He is a big part in this squad. He’s one of our leaders.
“He’s such a character that when he doesn’t play, he’s still that leader, he’s still helping the team, coaching the team, talking to players, pushing everybody to their highest levels in training sessions. “
