Rangers forced to find new manager target as Kevin Muscat deal collapses

Cameron Smith

• 19 Oct 2025 13:54 CDT
• 3 min read

News

Rangers have reportedly decided against appointing Kevin Muscat as their new manager following lengthy talks with the Shanghai Port boss.

The former Rangers defender was the odds-on favourite to be selected as Russell Martin’s replacement after deals for Steven Gerrard and Danny Rohl failed to materialise, but his proposed move back to Ibrox has collapsed.

Muscat held advanced talks with the Rangers hierarchy over the vacant head coach role, however an agreement couldn’t be reached and the Scottish giants have ended their pursuit of his signature, as per Sky Sports News.

Muscat is currently in charge of Chinese Super League side Shanghai Port and he was not prepared to leave the club until the end of the season on 22 November.

Shanghai Port are currently two points clear at the top of the table with three matches remaining, and Muscat’s insistence on remaining at the club for the next month is believed to be a key reason why his proposed move to Rangers has collapsed.

The Ibrox giants are now set to expand their managerial search as they look to land a replacement for Martin, who was sacked on 5 October after picking up just eight points from seven Scottish Premiership fixtures.

The aforementioned Gerrard and Rohl were both heavily linked with the job before Muscat was identified as the prime candidate, however all three managers have turned down the chance to join Rangers.

Jack Butland issues Rangers message

Rangers’ poor start to the season continued with a 2-2 draw against Dundee United on Saturday afternoon, with the club now 13 points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts after only eight matches.

Following the game, goalkeeper Jack Butland told reporters: “We’re better off not sort of beating around the bush. We know what we want to achieve and what this club expects, but the reality is at the minute we haven’t shown that.

“So that, as tough as it sounds, and as hard as it is for me to say, is a reality.

“We don’t want it to drift away, of course not, but we have to be realistic about where we find ourselves right now and thinking about where we can get to and what’s achievable is irrelevant.

“We need to start changing what we’re doing and taking on the lessons and getting better, as simple as that, and start putting in performances that the fans can align with and recognise as the Rangers team that they can get behind and believe in, which too often we haven’t been. That’s just a fact, so we need to get to that.”

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