McInnes wants Rangers to secure marquee signing ahead of Hearts and Celtic

Rangers are preparing for another major change in direction after head coach Danny Rohl agreed a deal to leave Ibrox and take charge of RB Salzburg, with Hearts manager Derek McInnes emerging as the man expected to replace him.

The Rangers hierarchy had stood firmly behind Rohl despite a difficult end to the campaign. A sequence of four straight league defeats effectively ended hopes of lifting the William Hill Premiership title and intensified scrutiny from supporters.

Rohl had initially revived belief after inheriting a side that struggled for consistency under Russell Martin, dragging Rangers back into the title conversation and restoring momentum at a crucial stage of the season.

However, the season unravelled after the split. Two cup defeats to Celtic under Martin O’Neill, combined with their collapse in league form, left serious questions over whether the German was the right man to lead the club forward.

A move to Salzburg now appears close, with transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reporting over the weekend that Rangers already have a successor lined up and that a “deal done” is in place, with only final formalities remaining.

That successor is expected to be McInnes.

The Hearts boss, a lifelong Rangers supporter, famously rejected the chance to manage the club while at Aberdeen in 2017. After a little over a year at Tynecastle following his move from Kilmarnock, he could now be set for a return to Glasgow under very different circumstances.

Players are due back for pre-season on June 22 ahead of the new Premiership season beginning in early August, leaving little time for transition.

McInnes may not arrive alone.

Following Lawrence Shankland’s move from Hearts earlier this summer, Rangers are also understood to be pursuing Claudio Braga. Sources indicate McInnes wants the Portuguese attacker brought to Ibrox and is keen to beat Celtic to his signature.

Landing Braga would send an immediate message that Rangers intend to attack the new season aggressively rather than rebuild quietly.