Derek McInnes’ first Rangers 'signing' announced

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

Rangers are finalising a deal that will see Derek McInnes named as the Ibrox club’s third permanent manager in the space of a year, and Gers are preparing a welcome present for the former midfielder.

Danny Rohl officially left Rangers to join Red Bull Salzburg by ‘mutual consent’ on Wednesday, with McInnes expected to make the move from Hearts to Ibrox.

After finishing third in the Scottish Premiership last season, there is a degree of urgency for the Gers to get business done in the transfer market, and the Glasgow giants are getting ready to announce a major contract renewal.

Bailey Rice agrees new Rangers contract

Rangers have successfully fought off interest from the Premier League in 19-year-old midfielder Bailey Rice, who will sign a new deal with the club, the Daily Record reports.

Coming off the back of an injury-hit season, during which he played only 45 minutes of action, Rice held talks with Rohl over his future and has been persuaded that his future lies at Rangers.

McInnes’ arrival will not change the youngster’s thinking, and he will commit his future to the Light Blues later this week.

Why it matters

Rice is regarded as one of the biggest prospects to have emerged from the Rangers academy in recent years, yet there had been serious doubts over his continuation with the Ibrox club as contract talks stalled last season.

The teenager had already impressed for the Gers on the biggest stage, notably turning in a brilliant performance against Manchester United in a Europa League clash in January 2025 that helped cement his reputation as one of the top players in Scotland.

This fuelled rumours of interest from the Premier League, with Aston Villa notably linked for the former Motherwell youth. Leeds, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Ajax and Schalke were also tracking his progress.

Rangers, meanwhile, have seen recent success for academy graduate Findlay Curtis, who has been called up to the Scotland World Cup squad after a brilliant spell on loan at Kilmarnock.

Curtis’ success as well as Rice’s new deal will help show other promising Ibrox prospects that there is a pathway from the academy to the first team, which is something that has been lacking in recent years.

A ready-made replacement for Nicolas Raskin?

Rice’s new deal could prove particularly valuable should Nicolas Raskin leave the club this summer.

The Belgium international, who featured prominently as the Red Devils drew 1-1 with Egypt at the World Cup, has been linked with a move to Atalanta in Serie A by transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio.

Raskin commands an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €12.2 million, yet with Rice’s commitment to the club, there is less pressure on the Gers to find a replacement, particularly with Tochi Chukwuani having settled impressively.

This update is, therefore, priceless for McInnes and Rangers, who can focus their recruitment efforts elsewhere in the squad.