Glasgow Rangers appear to be closing in on their next head coach as Russell Martin is being heavily touted with a move to Ibrox ahead of next season.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the Scottish manager has accepted the project in Glasgow and is ready to join the Light Blues this summer.
Martin, who had a loan spell at Ibrox in the second half of the 2017/18 campaign, has been out of work since he was relieved of his duties by Premier League side Southampton at the end of 2024.
Whilst supporters may be concerned by his sacking in the top-flight in England, the ex-Norwich City centre-back also did a lot of good work in the Championship with the Saints, and has been backed to be a success by a former teammate.
As you can see in the clip above, Steven Naismith believes that Martin would bring a clear style of play to Ibrox that has been lacking with recent managerial appointments.
The style of play Russell Martin could bring to Rangers
If you look at the way his Southampton team played in the Championship, as a team expected to challenge at the top of the table, you can get an idea of how his Rangers team could look in the Scottish Premiership.
He coached a ball-dominant team that constantly wanted to control the game whilst also being progressive and creative in possession, rather than just having possession for the sake of having possession.
Martin wants his side to play with a purpose – to create chances and score goals – and his Southampton team did that effectively in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign.
Pass accuracy
87.7%
1st
Passes into the penalty area
594
1st
Progressive passes
2556
1st
Shot-creating actions
1255
1st
xG
79.8
2nd
Points per game
1.89
4th
As you can see in the table above, the Saints ranked first in the league for progressive passes and passes into the penalty area, which shows how forward-thinking and incisive they were with the ball.
Southampton typically started matches in a 4-3-3 formation in that campaign, often with one winger who can drift infield to form a front two with the striker and one more traditional wide man on the other side.
This means that Rangers, should they go through with appointing Martin, should look to recruit players who would suit his ball-dominant and positionally flexible system in the summer transfer window.
With this in mind, the 49ers could land the Scottish head coach a dream first signing at Ibrox by swooping for a Leeds United star who has been linked with a move to Glasgow.
The Leeds star Rangers have been linked with
Earlier this month, TEAMtalk reported that Rangers have emerged as a potential suitor for Leeds forward Largie Ramazani ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The outlet claimed that the Premiership giants are ‘monitoring’ his situation at Elland Road, a year on from his £10m move from Almeria to England.
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It stated that Ramazani aligns with how the club want to recruit talent in the transfer market, as they are looking for young and dynamic players who can thrive in the Premiership and European competitions.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not the £10m-rated forward will be available for a move this summer because Daniel Farke is yet to make a final decision on his future in West Yorkshire.
The 49ers and sporting director Kevin Thelwell should, though, push hard to agree a deal for the Belgian forward because he would be a dream first signing for Martin at Ibrox, should he be appointed in the coming days or weeks.
Why Largie Ramazani would be a dream signing for Russell Martin
As aforementioned, the Scottish coach’s Southampton team typically had a traditional, direct, winger on the left and more of a central player on the right in the Championship.
Ramazani would be a perfect fit for Rangers on the left in Martin’s system as a natural wide player who likes to take players on and make things happen in the final third, using his dribbling and pace to cause opposition teams problems.
In fact, talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “mini Vinicius”, referring to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, because of his “electric” and “explosive” play style, and the fact that they are both nimble and dynamic right-footed left wingers.
Whilst he may not have racked up 21 goals and 15 assists like Vinicius Jr did for Real in the 2024/25 campaign, Ramazani’s form in limited minutes for Leeds suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting addition for the Gers.
Non-penalty xG
0.53
Top 1%
Non-penalty goals
0.68
Top 1%
Assists
0.23
Top 18%
Non-penalty xG + Expected Assisted Goals
0.69
Top 1%
Progressive passes
4.29
Top 18%
Progressive carries
4.63
Top 8%
As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old attacker ranked highly among his positional peers in the league for scoring and creating goals, whilst also progressing the ball consistently through carries and passes.
This suggests that he would be an ideal fit for Martin’s system, which requires players to constantly progress the play, whilst also having the quality in the final third to be a difference-maker in matches.
Ramazani ended the season with six goals and two assists in the division, despite starting just seven of his 29 appearances, which shows that he can be productive in front of goal.
Now, imagine the Belgian winger in a Rangers team managed by Martin that could consistently create chances for him to score, whilst starting week-in-week-out.
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Ramazani would be a dream first signing for both Martin and the 49ers because of the potential he has to be a game-changing addition on the wing, whilst also suiting the potential new manager’s style of play perfectly.
