Rangers can derail Brazil boss plan with their own manager swoop as possible candidate holds out for last minute offers

Rangers have just two Premiership fixtures left to complete dismal domestic season and with a delayed takeover of the Ibrox club looming, supporters will hope that more focus is spent on nailing down their next permanent managerial appointment.

With the summer transfer window about to re-open next month, an American consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises are in the final stages of seizing majority control of the Light Blues. The takeover is expected to be completed at the start of June and focus will then quickly shift on to naming Philippe Clement’s successor.

A number of high-profile names have been linked with the Rangers vacancy in recent months. Former RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose and Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard remain at the top of the betting markets. However, a new and intriguing name has catapulted into the frame over the past 48 hours - Davide Ancelotti.

Having expressed a desire to become his own man and with his father’s imminent move to take charge of the Brazil national team this summer, Ancelotti faces a big decision on his next career steps. According to Italian outlet Relevo, Ancelotti will follow his legendary father Carlo to Brazil barring any last-minute major offers, so could Rangers be that club?

Journalist Matteo Moretto wrote on X: “Carlo Ancelotti will be Brazil's next coach. The deal is done. The Italian signs a one-year contract. As of today, his son Davide is likely to follow him into this new era, barring any major last-minute offers. Among the clubs that have pursued Davide Ancelotti is Glasgow Rangers.”

Here, GlasgowWorld breaks down everything you need to know about latest managerial candidate to be linked with the Ibrox job...

Who is Davide Ancelotti? What clubs did he play for?

Born in Parma, Italy, Ancelotti is the son of one of the most successful coaches of all-time, having won titles in England, Italy, France, Germany and Spain while his record of five Champions League trophies is the most won by any manager.

Ancelotti junior followed in his father’s footsteps by forging a a short-lived career as a midfielder. He turned professional with Serie A giants AC Milan after spending two years in the club’s youth system.

He had a loan spell and subsequent permanent transfer to Borgomanero in 2009 but retired from playing at the age of just 20 to pursue a career in management. Aged 22, he gained a degree in sports science and is fluent in five languages - Italian, Spanish, French, German and English - and has since garnered a rising reputation for himself.

Which clubs has Davide Ancelotti coached at?

Ancelotti’s first foray into coaching came back in 2021 when he was appointed as a fitness coach at this season’s Champions League finalists PSG at the time his father was in charge. He would follow his dad in moving to Real Madrid, initially working as an assistant to the club’s first-team fitness coach.

The best food, sport and culture in our GlasgowWorld newsletter - sign up here.

He received his UEFA A licence in 2016 and subsequently took on the role of No.2 to Carlo at Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich. Ancelotti again served as his father’s right-hand man when he took up the managerial vacancy at Italian side Napoli in 2018, where he eventually made his managerial debut by stepping in for a one-off game in November 2019.

A move to the English Premier League followed that next month, joining forces with fellow assistant Duncan Ferguson at Everton while Carlo filled the manager’s hot seat. The pair were tasked with leading training sessions and struck up a close partnership during their time working together on Merseyside.

Ancelotti returned to the Bernabeu in 2021 to work alongside the 65-year-old and successfully attained a UEFA Pro Licence in July 2023 - sharing a course in Wales with former Dundee United boss Tam Courts. This time last year, he was described as his dad’s “secret weapon” at Los Blancos.

What is Davide Ancelotti managerial style?

Viewed as a modern, advanced coach, Ancelotti is said to share his father’s relaxed approach on the touchline. Having worked as a fitness coach, he would often lead pre-match warm-ups including at Everton. He will bounce ideas off his father regularly and refuses to stay in his shadow.

How interested are Rangers in Davide Ancelotti?

While the name ‘Ancelotti’ will undoubtedly excite Rangers fans, many will be wary that it would be the 35-year-old’s first role as a head coach. Having gained a wealth of experience at some of Europe’s biggest clubs by filling some massive roles, the near future remains firmly up in the air with his father Carlo leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season to take up the head coach position of the Brazil national team.

Davide played a crucial role in winning two La Liga titles and two Champions League amongst other silverware and has ambitions to become a manager in his own right. According to a report in Italy, Rangers are prepared to take a chance on the unproven Italian by offering him his maiden head coach position.

In the last 24 hours, Sky Sports Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed that Rangers are “pushing” to appoint Ancelotti junior as they prepare to launch the start of a new era in Govan under new American owners.

What has been said about Davide Ancelotti managerial qualities?

Ex-Dundee United manager Tam Courts graduated with Ancelotti on their UEFA Pro Licence course. The pair have kept in touch in recent years, with Courts now working behind the scenes at Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Qadsiah.

He told the Daily Record: “Davide absolutely has the mentality and the temperament to manage Rangers. Just by his personality. He’s very humble but he has a lot of decisiveness too. He’s a man of character and has a bit of steel about him. A lot of that comes from what he doesn’t say, as opposed to what he does, because he’s a man who chooses his words very carefully.

“There’s no doubt, even though he’s worked at top clubs like Napoli, PSG, Bayern and Real Madrid - working in Glasgow, particularly because of the passion and size of Rangers, it’s still a unique and challenging job. With talk of the takeover, it’s a really interesting time to be considered to be Rangers’ next head coach.

“But Davide speaks perfect English and multiple languages. And I totally understand why he’s a guy Rangers would be considering, especially in terms of player attraction and retention. He’s a big name. Players would want to come, not just to play for Rangers, but for him as well. And if top players at Ibrox are casting their eye elsewhere, I think they’d be interested in working with Davide if he was appointed.

“Davide, as you might imagine with the Ancelotti name, is very unassuming. But he has a lot of conviction and charisma. he has a lot of good human qualities. Above all else, he’s a top person who was keen to learn from everyone. Davide always had a keen interest in the Scottish game. He’d worked with Duncan Ferguson at Everton so had a bit of an insight into Scottish football. He was always open and very interested in different leagues.

“It’s amazing when you look at his career so far. he’s done a long apprenticeship. Initially, he had a junior position with his father. But it was when they went to Bayern Munich that he became the assistant manager. Davide also has a sports science degree so he does a lot of the analysis at Real madrid, as well as the coaching.

“He’s a guy who is very studious on the game, and he’s always been very clear that at some point, he wants to be his own man. You have to understand the level of players he’s worked with and what he’s won - he’s won major honours in his career. When you do that, you have a natural gravitas.”

Courts added: “It might be unfair to make the comparison, but when Steven (Gerrard) became a manager for the first time at Rangers, it was a bit of an eye-opener. But it’s quite similar to Davide and it’s easy to draw parallels. Steven came from Under-18s football but had a big name. Davide’s name speaks for itself.

“And what he has is more of a foundation and more experience of working on the training pitch with top players. Also, he’ll have been spending the last year or two thinking about his staff and how he’d want to assemble it if he ever became a manager.”

READ MORE: I've covered Kevin Thelwell's spell as Everton sporting director - here's what Rangers can expect from new recruitment chief