Breaking news: Derek McInnes agrees blockbuster Rangers move to become new boss

Derek McInnes is closing in on a return to Rangers after agreeing to become the club’s new head coach following Danny Röhl’s expected departure to RB Salzburg.

The final details of the move are currently being completed, with McInnes set to leave Hearts and sign a three-year contract at Ibrox. Rangers chiefs have acted quickly to secure a replacement, moving fast as Röhl prepares to leave after less than a year in charge.

McInnes arrives off the back of an impressive campaign with Hearts, having guided the Edinburgh side to a second-place finish in the Scottish Premiership in his first season at Tynecastle. His team pushed Celtic all the way to the final day in a dramatic title race before narrowly missing out.

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh and chief executive Jim Gillespie are understood to have moved decisively while in the United States to ensure a swift appointment ahead of pre-season preparations.

The 54-year-old is no stranger to Ibrox, having previously represented Rangers as a player. He was also heavily linked with the managerial position in 2017 during his time at Aberdeen but turned down the opportunity before talks eventually collapsed.

This time, however, McInnes appears ready to take on the role as Rangers prepare for a new era under familiar leadership.

With players due back for pre-season training next week, Rangers were eager to avoid uncertainty in the dugout and now look set to hand McInnes the task of leading the club into the 2026/27 campaign on a long-term basis.

RB Salzburg are pushing to appoint Danny Röhl as their new manager, with the Austrian club targeting the Rangers boss as the successor to Daniel Beichler.

Röhl, who still has two years remaining on his contract at Ibrox after arriving last October, is attracting serious interest from Salzburg. However, any agreement is expected to depend on Rangers receiving suitable compensation before allowing the German coach to leave.

The 37-year-old inherited a difficult situation when he replaced Russell Martin, taking charge with Rangers sitting sixth in the Scottish Premiership. Despite the slow start, Röhl revitalised the side and turned them into genuine title challengers before ultimately falling short in the closing weeks of the campaign.

With uncertainty surrounding Röhl’s future, Rangers have continued pushing ahead with their summer rebuild behind the scenes. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh, chief executive Jim Gillespie, executive director Fraser Thornton, technical director Dan Purdy and consultant Stig Inge Bjørnebye are all playing key roles in reshaping the squad alongside the coaching staff.

The club have already completed their first major signing of the summer with Scotland international Lawrence Shankland arriving from Hearts.

The striker joined Rangers on a two-year contract, with the option of an additional 12 months, after a clause in his Hearts deal allowed him to move to Ibrox on a free transfer.

Shankland arrives after another productive campaign in Edinburgh, having scored 20 goals across all competitions last season, and is expected to play a major role in Rangers’ plans heading into the new campaign.

As Salzburg intensify their pursuit of Röhl, Rangers face an important period of transition, balancing uncertainty over the manager’s future with preparations for a crucial new season.