Derek McInnes wants Rangers to sign Hearts star Claudio Braga this summer

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has agreed a deal to take the vacant position at RB Salzburg, and Hearts boss Derek McInnes is in line to replace the German at Ibrox.

The Rangers board publicly backed Rohl after a run of four consecutive league defeats ended their title challenge and sparked doubts over the German among fans.

The former Sheffield Wednesday manager had got Rangers back into the William Hill Premiership title race after a slow start to the season under Russell Martin.

But their post-split collapse – coupled with two cup defeats to Martin O’Neill’s Celtic – left Rohl needing to prove himself to the Rangers support.

Rohl has worked within the Red Bull stable before, beginning his coaching career under the tutelage of Ralf Rangnick at RB Leipzig and working as assistant to Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Fabrizio Romano revealed over the weekend that the Gers have almost secured a replacement already, with a ‘deal done’ and only the formal steps left to complete.

McInnes, a boyhood Rangers supporter, turned down the opportunity to manage the Ibrox club while in charge of Aberdeen in 2017.

The 54-year-old, loosely linked with the Gers vacancy last October, has been at Hearts for a little more than a year after making the move from Kilmarnock.

The majority of the Rangers squad are due to report for pre-season on June 22, with their Premiership campaign kicking off on the first weekend of August.

Lawrence Shankland has already made the move from Tynecastle this summer, and McInnes may not be the last arrival either.

Rangers eyeing deal for Hearts star Braga

Indeed, McInnes is keen to bring Claudio Braga with him to Ibrox, fending off rival interest from Celtic, Football FanCast sources understand.

The Hoops have been linked with Braga for months, but the incoming manager is hoping to deal a blow to both of Rangers’ title rivals by snatching the Portuguese attacker from under their noses.

It would be a serious statement of intent from the Gers if they can hijack one of their rivals’ best players from the clutches of another, but he won’t come cheap.

Hearts refused offers in the region of £5m for their star man in January, and there is a feeling they would demand a fee in the region of £8-10m to let him go this summer.

Rangers’ record fee stands at £12m, but there is reason to believe the 26 year-old is worth pushing the boat out for.

Braga played pretty much every attacking position on the pitch for Hearts this season, starring up front, on both wings and behind the striker as a number ten, scoring 17 times and providing six assists.