Rangers takeover rumours get emphatic response (2025)

Record Sport's Keith Jackson explains why Gers changing hands is proving complicated

Rumours that the Rangers takeover has stalled or is about to collapse are well wide of the mark.

And 49ers Enterprises are expected to finalise the deal to take control of the Ibrox club THIS month.

Record Sport broke the story that a US consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh were preparing to take over from Dave King, John Bennett, Barry Scott as well as sweeping up the minor shareholdings held elsewhere.

As time ticks towards the end of the Premiership season, whispers have swirled that delays meant issues beind the scenes.

However, as revealed by Keith Jackson on Record Sport's Hotline Live, things are progressing as they should and that Rangers could be American-owned before April is out.

"It's basically disappeared down a legal rabbit hole, which is where it will remain until and i's are dotted and t's are crossed," he said.

"I know that people will want to put rumours about the thing collapsing or not going through. That flies in the face of everything that I'm being told.

"I'm being told that all parties remain keen to get it concluded and I was told that to expect that it could or should happen before the end of April.

"I'm guessing that it should become crystalised one way or another in the next couple of weeks.

"I fully expect the 49ers and the American consortium will be represented again on Thursday night at Ibrox.

"Andrew Cavenagh was in Istanbul for the round of 16 first leg against Fenerbahce. he then flew to Glasgow with a four-man delegation in a city centre hotel where they stayed.

"They went to the training ground, they went to Celtic Park that Sunday, so they've shown a significant interest.

"I'd be surprised if there weren't representatives at Ibrox on Thursday night.

"I'm told it's just a matter of just the legal formalities. Are you hearing something different?"

Scott Burns: "No, I'm told that the deal is quote close to the finishing line but what I'm also told is that there are maybe some Rangers directors who are getting a bit frustrated at the time taken to complete this deal.

"Not that it's on the brink or anything."

Keith: "I'm sure there are. You've got Dave King, John Bennett and Barry Scott who are looking to sell outright. Their whole shareholding is going to go and that would take Andrew Cavenagh and the Americans up to about 25 per cent.

"Then you've got separate and this is why it's been a really complicated deal from the start. It was never as simple as X going to Y and saying, 'I'll take your shares,' as they managed to do at Leeds.

"There are so many different strands and conversations that have to be had in so many different time zones. If you've got yourself to 25 per cent, which they do, If I'm Dave King, john Bennett or Barry Scott, I'm thinking 'I agreed this weeks ago, I want the cash to drop into my bank account.'

"But in order to get to 51 per cent, they need to enter in separate discussions of 'how many per cent am I getting off you, whose giving me x,y,z.'

"That's what makes it complicated but I don't think there's any barriers to it. Although I'm fully aware that the longer this goes on, the more people will start to think is something amiss?'

Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.