Derek McInnes faces urgent Rangers rebuild after Hearts exit 2026

Derek McInnes has been named Rangers manager after a near-miss at Hearts, inheriting a squad needing urgent changes.

Manager arrives at Ibrox Just weeks after narrowly missing the Scottish Premiership title with Hearts, Derek McInnes has taken charge at Rangers. He becomes the third manager in a single year at Ibrox. McInnes was officially given the title of manager in his announcement. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh had promised major changes following a disappointing 2025-26 season, but Danny Rohl’s departure came only after RB Salzburg made an approach. ## Immediate mindset shift needed Danny Rohl repeatedly called for more leadership as Rangers faded late in the title race. The German manager had revived their challenge but the squad’s mentality collapsed after the split. Rangers entered the final five games a point behind Hearts and two ahead of champions Celtic, only to finish third after four straight defeats and just one win on the final day. Lawrence Shankland, whose move to Rangers was confirmed late last month, is expected to add goals and experience. The 30-year-old could be an immediate candidate for the captaincy following James Tavernier’s exit from Ibrox. Rangers clearly need more strong personalities in the dressing room. ## Defensive rebuild required With Tavernier gone alongside loan signings Nasser Djiga, Jayden Meghoma, Max Aarons and Derek Cornelius, rebuilding the defense is a priority. Rangers conceded 43 Premiership goals last term, more than Celtic, Hearts, Motherwell and only one fewer than Hibernian. Emmanuel Fernandez grew into a key figure at center-back in his debut season. Tuur Rommens joined in January from Belgium and added toughness at left-back. Dujon Sterling offers pace and energy but has played under half the matches Tavernier managed in the same period. John Souttar, plagued by injuries, has one more year left on his contract and started just two of the last nine games when fit. ## Squad overhaul incoming Rangers hope to retain key players like Fernandez and Nicolas Raskin, but outgoing transfers are expected this summer. Among last season’s recruits, Lyall Cameron and Oliver Antman struggled to impress. Thelo Aasgaard, Djeidi Gassama and Bojan Miovski showed occasional promise but not consistently enough. Nedim Bajrami, with two years left on his deal, rarely featured, as did Danilo, whose time at Rangers and a brief loan in the Netherlands proved disappointing. Oscar Cortes remains under contract until 2029. Findlay Curtis impressed on loan at Kilmarnock, earning a World Cup call-up and easing the loss of Mikey Moore, who will return to Tottenham. Curtis’ potential elevation could push Antman or Gassama further down the pecking order. ## McInnes’ swift start imperative Rangers suffered a slow start last season, with their first league win arriving in late September. When Russell Martin was dismissed on 5 October, the team sat eighth in the Premiership, 11 points behind McInnes’ Hearts. While Rohl was new to Scottish football, McInnes brings deep knowledge of the league, with 814 top-flight matches as a manager to his name. At Hearts, he made an early impact, winning eight of his first nine top-flight games and losing just once in 18 as they nearly ended a 41-year Old Firm title drought. Pre-season training begins this week, followed by a camp in Austria ahead of the Premiership opener in early August. ## European mission awaits The Premiership campaign starts on the first weekend of August, with Rangers facing a Europa League qualifier first leg on 6 August. Cavenagh and his team have already invested heavily and will expect immediate success. The chairman had backed Rohl to deliver silverware with a revamped squad and full preseason. Though the manager has changed, the objective remains unchanged: secure trophies with urgency. The club’s recent spending demands a quick return to winning ways.