Daily Record goes early with bold Muscat claim

The Daily Record is going in bold with claims that Kevin Muscat has a ‘broad agreement’ to take over as manager at Ibrox.

It isn’t the highest of benchmarks but the Thursday afternoon EXCLUSIVE! cam from Scott Burns, the most credible of the Record’s diminishing group of football reporters.

Burns brands himself as a transfer specialist, he seems to have a variety of contacts and rarely jumps the gun in order to get the story out first.

CLICKETY CLICK

With print sales comfortably under 40,000 a day the pressure is on the Record website to keep the publication viable with sport and football the main traffic drivers.

There has been a LIVE BLOG! running for a fortnight on the Record about the manager’s position at Ibrox.

While most of that is mainly filled with contrived crap from digital reporters it does need some substance. From long established reporters.

As soon as Danny Rohl opted out it left Muscat the last man standing.

The Record doesn’t have many contacts in China or Australia.

However Burns opened confidently with:

Kevin Muscat has agreed a deal to become the next Rangers boss.

The Ibrox side have held successful negotiations over the past 48 hours and a broad agreement over a multi-year contract has now been thrashed out with his representatives.

Rangers are now in discussions with Shanghai Port over a compensation package.

The 52-year-old is not expected to make the move to Glasgow until next month, once the Chinese Super League comes to a close.

There is a little room to wiggle out of that but not much. Other publishers were quick to pick up on the good news. Keeping readers happy is essential to publications surviving.

Moore has been missing from the Go Radio phone in over the last week.

With four matches left to play and a two point lead in the Chinese League Shanghai Port won’t welcome distractions.

If Muscat has been in negotiations over a move to Ibrox his current employers won’t be amused.

AN AWKWARD TRACK RECORD

The Record of course has got things spectacularly wrong in the past. Less so Burns

In February they were peddling tales of wealth pouring in from the San Francisco 49ers.

It turned out to be Andrew Cavenagh becoming chairman. Apparently a pharmaceutical magnate. Or maybe not.

The football returns to Ibrox tomorrow with a visit from Dundee United. Steven Smith and Brian Gilmore will be wearing the brogues and poppies.

Muscat could be on his way- or the search to replace Russell Martin turns to Plan D. Neil McCann has his blazer, flannels and tracksuit nearly ironed as he waits the phone call of his dreams.