Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso has unexpectedly been pushed into the Rangers conversation again — not by pundits or tabloids this time, but by a man who knows him personally. Kyle Lafferty, his former teammate at Palermo, believes the fiery 47-year-old should one day return to Ibrox and take charge of the club where he made an early mark as a young midfielder.
Gattuso, currently leading the Italian national team, has been in the job since June 2025 and is aiming to guide the Azzurri to the 2026 World Cup through the March play-offs. Meanwhile, Rangers have only just appointed Danny Rohl as manager following the departure of Russell Martin — but that hasn’t stopped future speculation from bubbling.
Lafferty spoke glowingly of Gattuso’s character and leadership qualities, telling Italian outlet I Love Palermo Calcio that the former AC Milan star is the ideal figure to return to Ibrox sometime in the future.
According to Sport Witness, Lafferty said:
“He’s a great professional as well as a great man. Given his past at Glasgow Rangers, I hope to see him lead them one day. I’m convinced the relationship between him and the Scottish club would be excellent.”
Gattuso’s managerial career has been intense and varied, spanning nine club sides — from AC Milan to Napoli — before taking on the Italian national team for the first time.
Since taking over Italy, Gattuso has won five of his first six games, showing early promise. Yet a 4-1 defeat to Haaland-powered Norway forced Italy into the play-offs, where they will face Northern Ireland in March 2026.
Should he guide the Azzurri back to the World Cup — a stage they haven’t played on since 2014 — his managerial profile will skyrocket even more.
Gattuso spent only one season at Rangers back in 1997/98, but his aggressive style, passion, and warrior mentality made him a fan favourite. The club has been linked with him in previous years whenever Ibrox experienced managerial instability.
While there is no immediate move on the table, Lafferty’s comments have revived an old dream among some supporters: seeing the former World Cup winner return to Scotland in the dugout.
And in football, especially at Rangers, “one day” can arrive faster than expected.
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