American investors claim Leeds link won’t derail Ibrox takeover deal

Rangers‘ prospective American owners have no concerns that their hopes of taking control at Ibrox could be dashed due to rules on dual ownership.

Headed by Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe — who also leads San Francisco 49ers Enterprises, the NFL giant’s investment company — talks with key stakeholders at Ibrox are now at an advanced stage.

While the Americans’ lawyers will still have to do their due diligence, there is optimism on both sides that a deal will be concluded sometime between April and June.

Mail Sport also understands that, while the takeover would also be subject to SFA approval, both parties are confident that dual ownership won’t be an issue.

This optimism stems from the composition of the consortium which has seen Marathe team up with several wealthy USA-based businessmen who have no involvement with San Francisco 49ers Enterprises.

It has emerged that another member of the group is businessman Andrew Cavenagh, who made his money building his Philadelphia-based health insurance firm ParetoHealth. It’s understood that he recently attended two Rangers games as a guest of directors.

The Ibrox club could be under new ownership before the end of the season

The takeover bid has come from the investment company behind the San Francisco 49ers

With the consortium’s company distinct from that which bought Leeds United for £170million in 2023, they feel the scenario is different from that which saw the SFA limit Bournemouth owner Bill Foley to buying 29.9 per cent of Hibs.

Foley, whose Black Knight Sports and Entertainment company owns Bournemouth, ultimately bought a 25 per cent stake in Hibs for £6m using the same firm.

Meanwhile, manager Philippe Clement says he hasn’t even considered what new ownership might mean for his position, or the club in general.

The Belgian, whose team were yesterday drawn with Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the Europa League last 16, was given another vote of confidence from chief executive Patrick Stewart on Tuesday just a few hours before news of the American takeover broke.

Adamant that nothing has changed as far as he was concerned, he said: ‘I’m busy now with the group, with the players, the next game, all of that.

‘Those are the things I have in control, because you don’t have everything under control.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement insists his full focus is on matters ON the field of play

‘It’s about the job of every day, going full for that and getting the best out of the players that are available at that moment.

‘Those (takeover talks) are rumours. There’s nothing for the moment, so nothing to talk about until something happens.

‘It’s the same as with transfers. In a transfer window, if there’s nothing concrete to say, we can go into those things if it ever happens.’

Clement also claimed he will have no say in identifying a new sporting director after Stewart revealed that Rangers were now in the marker for one to work beside technical director Nils Koppen.

‘I think that’s the other way around. Normally it’s sporting directors are the ones who get managers,’ smiled Clement.

‘I worked in the past with a lot of sporting directors. There are also different kinds of sporting directors. So, those are interesting things to talk about along the way. But, no, I will not be involved in the recruitment.’