Rangers will have to overcome 'significant obstacles' if they are to use Hampden as an alternative venue to Ibrox - as talks continue over Murrayfield.

It's thought Rangers chiefs remain in talks over using the national stadium or home of Scottish Rugby as building works continue on the Copland Stand at Ibrox.

The club will be forced to use an alternative venue for the first part of the season after material shipping delays have rendered Ibrox unfit for use.

The Scotsman claim Rangers are in talks over the use of Hampden and Murrayfield with club chiefs not keen on using two different stadia while work continues at Ibrox.

It's thought Hampden would be the preferred venue for Rangers but any deal to use the facilities would see the club have to overcome major hurdles.

Firstly, the pitch has just been re-seeded at Hampden following P!nk concerts - it means Rangers would likely have to import a new surface ahead of the new season which would come at a "not inconsiderable cost".

Also, Queen's Park are set to use the stadium this season - starting in September -but it's claimed the club might be "encouraged" to remain at Lesser Hampden by a financial payment to allow Rangers use of the national stadium.

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A club statement on the matter read: “Rangers has recently been advised of a delay in a materials shipment from Asia which is likely to have an impact on the programme for the completion of the Copland Stand works.

"It is therefore expected, unfortunately, that there will be an impact on matches at Ibrox at the beginning of the 2024/25 competitive season.

"The club has engaged with the SPFL and UEFA in order to review planned contingency arrangements. Naturally, everyone at Rangers is deeply disappointed with this news.

"The club is working intensively to ensure that all steps are taken to deliver the project at the earliest possible date and a further progress update will be issued to supporters in due course."

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster vowed the league body would work with Rangers to accommodate a stadium move but won't allow any change to impact sporting integrity.

"Unfortunately these things happen," he said. "I used to run a club and we had to build a stand, and worked very close with the league to make sure our fixtures went ahead with only three parts of the ground available.

"Now that the fixtures are out, we'll be liaising with Rangers. Obviously they've got a far better handle on the works than we do. We'll be doing our best to work with them to try and get them through what is clearly a difficult situation.

"We've been very impressed with the way the new chairman, John Bennett, has tried to strengthen relationships across the game, and we'll certainly be looking to work with him and his team, and be as flexible as we can be, whilst being fair to everyone else."