Rangers Close to Hiring Kevin Muscat; Arrival Delayed

Rangers are close to appointing former defender Kevin Muscat as head coach, with personal terms reportedly agreed but final compensation and paperwork with Shanghai Port still unresolved. Muscat remains contracted in China and is chasing a second successive Chinese Super League title with four games left, so his arrival could be delayed until after the season — potentially as late as 22 November. That delay and a reported roughly £1.5m compensation fee could see him miss several fixtures, including Premiership matches, Europa League ties and the Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Celtic. Under-19 coach Stevie (Steven) Smith has been placed in interim charge and is overseeing first-team training, while Neil McCann and members of Muscat’s Shanghai backroom (Ross Aloisi, Vince Lerardo and Les Gelis) are being linked with roles at Ibrox. Rangers' owners are pushing to finalise the deal so Muscat can implement his plans and may provide funds for January transfers.