'A lot of interest' - Dave King moots US & Saudi cash at Rangers, 'Far More Attractive' than PL club

Dave King wants Rangers investment from Saudi Arabia and the US as he puts himself forward to replace John Bennett as chairman for two years.

The former Ibrox chair told Chris Jack for the Rangers Review website on 16 September that he is willing to return temporarily after Bennett’s resignation on health grounds last week and insists the club are more attractive opportunity than English clubs such as Brighton or Sunderland.

He has ruled out Gers fans such as Bennett putting more cash into the club and has talked up interest from abroad.

He said: “There is some interest in the club at the moment, but I think we’ve got to get away from the model where we just rely on supporters writing out cheques. There is money out there, but that money is not going to come from Rangers.  We need to go and find other investors and bring them into the club. And I think that’s what we plan for the next two years. 

“I’d be willing to do it. Yes, I would. I understand what’s involved. I’ll come in, stabilise it, get the right people in place, get the club working properly, at least give it direction, give it a plan. But part of that will be for me to find new investors who will come in and make a significant investment in the club.”

“I believe in chats that I’ve had there’s enough of an investor interest in those areas who are investing. Saudi, obviously, where Steven Gerrard is at the moment. There’s a lot of interest in football there. 

“There’s a lot of interest in America still where they see football and sports generally as being good. Rangers are a far more attractive opposition, a far more attractive opportunity than, say, Sunderland or Brighton. 

“We’re going to be in Europe and with the right amount of money, we really should be able to march on and actually dominate in Scotland.”

Dave King eyes Rangers chair role after John Bennett exit

Whether King finds a way back in at Ibrox or not the investment interest from abroad might be something that has legs if offers were to come forward.

John Gilligan has stepped into take Bennett’s place for now with the Light Blues in desperate need of some stability.

He is now tasked with finding a new chair as well as a chief executive, after Bennett saw advanced talks with St Mirren’s Jim Gillespie collapse [Daily Mail, 10 September] following James Bisgrove’s sudden exit to the Saudi Pro League this summer.

The financial gulf between the Gers and Celtic has been well documented after another title went to Parkhead last term and Philippe Clement’s side were knocked out of Champions League qualification in controversial circumstances this term.

So if there is viable interest in the club from abroad it may be something that needs to be investigated fully, whether by King or whoever is ultimately installed in the top jobs.

FFP regulations would necessarily temper the immediate impact in the transfer market but after Clement strained through the window with minimal room to manoeuvre it could ease the situation.

Whether Rangers are in fact a more attractive option than Brighton or Sunderland is perhaps open to debate.

The Seagull’s presence in the Premier League puts them on a different financial plane financially, as demonstrated by Clement’s inability to afford an Abdallah Sima return in the summer, while Sunderland have partially rebounded from their own recent struggles to be one step away from the English top flight.

But the size of Rangers and the Old Firm can’t be disputed so if the interest is there, and it was backed by the right intentions, it might need to be capitalised on.

In other Rangers news, an important update on Bennett’s significant investment at Ibrox has emerged after his sudden resignation.

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