Exclusive: Rangers swat away Saudi competition as ‘highly-impressive’ boss expected to accept role

Rangers look set to beat Al-Shabab to the appointment of their new boss after whittling down their shortlist to one man, if he chooses to accept the offer to manage at Ibrox.

Rangers are coming to the final stages of appointing a new manager after the recent sacking of Michael Beale. Final interviews are taking place between final candidates and the board with one man now in poll position to land the job.

Philippe Clement has been highly impressive during the process and was marked by Rangers from the beginning as a standout candidate for the role, according to sources. He has spoken with the club again over the last 24 hours and its now understood he is on the brink of a job offer.

He is one of two people left in the conversation with Yokohama boss Kevin Muscat also still vying for the position. Muscat is a former Rangers player and has won the league in Australia and Japan. However, he is understood to be falling behind Clement who is leading the charge for the Ibrox dugout.

The Gers board were always looking for experience and quickly ruled out the likes of Frank Lampard. There has been a real desire from inside the walls of Ibrox for a top and highly-experienced manager to take charge after the failure under Beale.

Former Fulham and Bournemouth boss Scott Parker was never in with a real chance and former Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner threw his hat in the ring, but Rangers did not pick it up.

Sources stated that Rangers were willing to pay for the best they could get and as previously reported reached out to the likes of Julen Lopetegui to try and create an “elite shortlist” for the position.

Rangers to beat Al-Shabab to Clement

Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab were also keen on Clement but sources in Saudi state they expect him to take the Rangers job and a decision will be made over the next 48 hours.

Clement has a huge range of experience managing over 300 games in France and Belgium. During his time in his home country, he picked up seven trophies including four Belgian championships with Club Brugge and KRC Genk respectively.

His tenures have not always gone to plan, however, as he was axed from the Monaco job after failing to achieve qualification for European competition. That being said, his side was regarded as one of the most exciting in France and spent the majority of his tenure in Ligue 1’s top five.

The talks will continue over the next 24 hours but the path is clearing for the 49-year-old to become the next Rangers boss with the job now in his hands should he chose to accept.

READ MORE: Exclusive: Three names in the frame for Rangers job as search for Beale successor heats up