Rangers could be close to appointing their next permanent manager, with Barry Ferguson expecting an announcement within days on the situation.

The 49ers Enterprises are seeking a head coach who can kick-start their project at the Ibrox club, as the Gers aim to rebuild after a disastrous season.

Rangers are linked with a wide variety of managers, with some experienced names touted for the role, while returns for some former coaches were mooted.

Steven Gerrard and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s names have been mentioned in recent weeks over potential returns, but other options have surprised many.

Rangers close in on Davide Ancelotti appointment

It has emerged in recent days that Carlo Ancelotti’s son and assistant at Real Madrid, Davide Ancelotti, is the leading candidate to take charge of Rangers this summer.

The Ancelottis will leave Real Madrid in the coming weeks, with the veteran set to take the Brazil job, while his son will pursue his own coaching career.

Calum Crowe has now highlighted the “shock value” that will come with Ancelotti’s potential appointment at Ibrox.

YearsClubAncelotti’s previous clubs“For a man whose father has turned the raising of an eyebrow into an art form, it was fitting that the very mention of Davide Ancelotti’s name should come with some shock value,” he wrote in the Scottish Daily Mail (14 May, page 70).

“Plenty of brows would certainly have been raised among Rangers fans when it emerged that Ancelotti, son of the great Don Carlo, is in the running to become the club’s next manager.”

Ancelotti can bring Real Madrid knowledge to Rangers

While many will be sceptical of Ancelotti, given that this would be his first role as a head coach rather than assistant, there are advantages to his possible appointment.

Having worked alongside some of the best players in the world at Bayern Munich, Napoli and Real Madrid, Ancelotti already has experience dealing with big names and egos, which will help him adapt to the pressures of the Rangers dressing room.

The Italian will also have first-hand knowledge of Real Madrid’s best academy starlets, and could even bring some with him to Ibrox.

There will be pressure on Ancelotti, and he will need a fast start to get the fans on side, but this could be an appointment with the potential to be a masterstroke.