Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard linked with shock Rangers reunion amid boardroom uncertainty

Former Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard has emerged as a potential contender to replace under-pressure Rangers manager Philippe Clement at Ibrox, according to reports.

Rangers are already five point adrift of Premiership leaders Celtic after a 3-0 defeat in the Old Firm derby and find themselves under pressure to turn around their sluggish start on the pitch.

Behind the scenes at Ibrox, the Light Blues are also in a period of transition and The Daily Record understands that chairman John Bennett’s decision to step down from the Rangers boardroom has resulted in Clement losing a key ally.

Bennett was understood to be a huge supporter of Clement’s idea to overhaul the squad with young talent to fit in line with the club’s new player-trading model. However, some sections of the board are undecided on the Belgian’s methods and are still thought to hold Gerrard in high-regard due to the success that he had during his three years at Ibrox from 2018 to 2021.

The former Liverpool and England captain joined Rangers just two years on from his retirement and within his third full season was able to lead the club to a league title and an unbeaten season - marking the Light Blues’ first Premiership triumph in a decade.

Gerrard’s stock in management reached an all time high during his time at Ibrox, but he struggled to adapt to the demands of Premier League management after replacing Dean Smith at Villa Park in November 2021.

Overall, the Liverpool icon managed just 13 victories, eight draws and 19 defeats in 40 matches, across 11 months before his departure, which is a far cry from where the club now find themselves under successor Unai Emery.

Since leaving Aston Villa, Gerrard has been managing in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ettifaq, who are aiming to establish themselves as one of the leading clubs in the Middle East after marquee signings such as Georginio Wijnaldum, Moussa Dembele and Demari Gray.

In his first season things didn’t really go to plan for Gerrard’s men and they finished in sixth position. However, they have enjoyed an excellent start to the new season with a perfect three victories from three matches - leaving them top of the table alongside Al Ittihad and Al Hilal.