Rangers are expected to name former Manchester United chief Patrick Stewart as their new chief executive officer.

The Rangers Review reported on Saturday that Malcolm Offord was poised to become the next chairman and take the position at the head of the Ibrox boardroom. Now the Rangers Review can reveal that Stewart will be the man to lead the club on a day-to-day basis as he prepares to succeed former CEO James Bisgrove at Ibrox.

Rangers have been operating without a CEO since Bisgrove quit to clinch a big-money move to Saudi Arabia this summer. Former chairman John Bennett saw an approach for St Mirren chief Jim Gillespie fall through at the eleventh hour before he made the decision to stand down from his position due to health reasons.

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Former director John Gilligan and investor George Letham have been overseeing the running of the club in recent weeks and leading the search for the crucial appointments as chairman and chief executive. It is understood that those hunts are now set to come to a close as Offord and Stewart close in on moves to Ibrox.

Stewart left Old Trafford at the end of last season after spending 14 years working for United in a range of key off-field roles. Chief financial officer Cliff Batty also departed at the same time and INEOS supremo Sir Jim Ratcliffe said: “I would like to personally thank both Patrick and Cliff for their support in helping us get to know the club and making us feel welcome and I respect their decisions to now move on as we establish a new management team for the club.”

(Image: pa) Stewart previously worked for TEAM, the commercial agency for the UEFA Champions League, for five seasons. He was named as executive director at Old Trafford in 2022 and served as interim chief executive for a year as power was transferred from the Glazers to INEOS.

Former United co-chairman Joel Glazer said: “I would like to thank Patrick and Cliff for their dedicated service to Manchester United and wish them well for the future. Both have been a source of invaluable advice and expertise over many years, and Patrick has served an important role as interim CEO during this transitional phase.”