Report: 46-year-old eyeing Rangers return as Steven Gerrard replacement

Add as preferred source on Google

The Sun claims Giovanni van Bronckhorst is keen on returning to Ibrox to take the Rangers job, as Steven Gerrard looks set to move to Aston Villa.

Gerrard, 41, was spotted in London on Wednesday and reports claim he met Christian Purslow in the capital. TalkSPORT say a deal is pretty much done.

Gerrard played for Liverpool with Purslow in the board room, and his current assistant Gary McAllister has worked at Villa on the coaching staff.

While it will obviously sting for Rangers fans to not only lose Gerrard, but also in the middle of the season – attention turns to finding a replacement.

A new report from The Sun claims van Bronckhorst is keen. The 46-year-old played 117 times for Rangers between 1998 and 2001, scoring 22 goals.

He won five trophies at Rangers in that time, including two league titles. He has since foraged into management twice, shining as gaffer of Feyenoord.

The 2010 World Cup runner-up won 107 of his 176 games in charge, before moving to China for a brief, 23-game stint with Guangzhou R&F.

Van Bronckhorst wants Rangers return: Replacement for Gerrard?

What he does offer, is a similar type of aura. A player to have surpassed 100 caps for his country, he won five league titles as a player during his career.

Including the Premier League with Arsenal. He has also won the Eredivisie with Feyenoord, and four other trophies with the Dutch side.

His six titles – as a player and manager – commands respect. he has the calibre to bring in players, and he would bring back Jan Wouters as his assistant. An absolute no-brainer.