Rangers could potentially end up with a “lite version” of Chelsea owner Todd Boehly at Ibrox, according to former Aberdeen CEO Keith Wyness.
Rangers takeover latest
On the pitch, things aren’t going too swimmingly for the Gers currently, with Philippe Clement finding himself under pressure to keep his job, following his side’s 3-0 defeat away to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership before the international break.
Away from the action, there is also plenty going surrounding a potential takeover, with fresh reports claiming that American investors are considering bidding for Rangers. The club is valued at around £150m, with top shareholders Dave King and Douglas Park believed to be open to the idea of selling up in the near future.
There are clear positives to a takeover happening, in terms of how it could benefit Rangers in a financial sense, further helping them close the gap on Celtic. There are also warning signs, however, with American owners proving to be hit-and-miss in the Premier League, from Liverpool bosses FSG to the more reckless Boehly, who has spent a fortune at Chelsea but is threatening to create a civil war with Clearlake Capital at Stamford Bridge currently.
Rangers could get “lite version” of Todd Boehly
Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness discussed the takeover situation at Ibrox, saying Rangers would ideally bring in a “lite version” of Boehly as their owner.
“I’ve dealt with international owners, and the thing is that you can’t generalise. There are good American owners and bad American owners. Look at Liverpool – they had Hicks & Gillett, who were a disaster, and now they’ve got Fenway Sports Group. They’re doing a decent job, so you can’t generalise.There are some smart ones.
“There are US investors who can use their ears and not have their egos at the front. If they bring people with experience in football with them then it would be great for Rangers because ultimately they will have access to huge capital. That’s the key thing. There’s no need to go mad, you’ve got to do it wisely – that’s what it’s all about. Hopefully they won’t follow Todd Boehly’s example. A lite version of him would, in many ways, be welcome at Rangers.”
There is plenty to like about the idea of a less extreme version of Boehly coming in at Rangers, but the Chelsea owner should act as a warning, in terms of what could happen. They cannot afford to be in a position where they are suddenly splashing new investment all over the transfer market just for the sake of it, potentially leaving them in a worse position further down the road.
FSG-like owners are perhaps what the Gers should strive for more, even though they are divisive among Liverpool’s fanbase, with the Boston Red Sox bosses known for being relatively frugal, but also developing Anfield significantly and overseeing many top signings thanks to their ‘Moneyball’ style analytics-based recruitment.
Rangers need to be in a position where they are able to spend more on signings and modernise Ibrox, but they must be sensible in making the right choice for their next owners, or risk going backwards.
