Rangers gain Claudio Braga advantage over Celtic after deal 'agreed' - verdict

Rangers should feel confident about signing Hearts striker Claudio Braga as they work on appointing Derek McInnes as their next manager.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Rangers have "agreed a deal" to hire McInnes with Danny Rohl set to leave the club to join RB Salzburg.

Rangers have shown interest in signing Braga this summer, who won the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award for his debut campaign at Hearts, where he scored 17 goals.

McInnes' relationship with Braga, and with Rangers having already signed Lawrence Shankland, means there looks to be a clear opening for the Glasgow club to add the 26-year-old to their squad.

Shankland and Braga formed a fine partnership at Hearts this season which nearly ended the Old Firm's dominance of the Scottish Premiership.

Braga's versatility means he can play anywhere across the front line, and could be available for around £5million.

Rangers have the financial power to sign Braga, and McInnes could be the pivotal factor to convince him to move to Ibrox.

In doing so, McInnes could hinder Celtic's transfer plans, with the Hoops having also shown interest in Braga and in need of a reliable goalscorer up front.

Celtic look like they will undergo a rebuild of their squad this summer, and the partnership of Braga and Shankland means Rangers could hit the ground running in the race for the title.

Under Russell Martin, Rangers were 11 points behind league leaders Hearts when they decided to sack the 40-year-old, which gave the Gers too big a mountain to overcome.

A trophyless season last time out means that Rangers fans will not tolerate another slow start, and will want to see ambition in the transfer market this summer.

Sources had told Football Insider that Hearts were confident of keeping Braga at the club amid interest from the Old Firm, but McInnes' expected appointment at Rangers could change that.

Braga's arrival at Rangers could be important if the club lose both Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski.

Miovski is expected to depart this summer after failing to break through into the team under Rohl.

Meanwhile, Chermiti has been the subject of interest from Galatasaray, and Rangers have placed a £25m valuation on the 22-year-old.

Rangers made just £8m in player sales between 2015 and 2021, and such an offer would be hard to turn down.

Chermiti would not prove to be a big loss to Rangers should McInnes entice Braga to join Shankland at Ibrox.