Big pay-out if Rangers go for Michel Preud'homme as new boss

Rangers would have to fork out substantial compensation to Club Brugge if they want to land Michel Preud'homme as manager'¨'“ even though he quit '¨Belgium earlier this year.

Former Club Brugge boss Michel Preud'homme is said to have held talks with Rangers. Picture: Getty Images

The former Belgium goalkeeper is understood to have held talks with the Ibrox club and is a surprise candidate to replace Pedro Caixinha.

Preud’homme, 58, left Brugge in May after almost four years there. He said at the time: “I leave Club Brugge with the very best feeling. Over four years, I have achieved good results with this club and we can be proud of the work delivered. But after 40 uninterrupted seasons in football, I feel like I need a rest.

“If I was ten years younger, I would never leave this club, but now I want to rest for an indefinite period.”

But although Brugge allowed him to quit, he is technically still under contract with the club. They put a clause in his contract that ensures any club or country that wants to hire him as manager must pay up the rest of his contract.

Preud’homme said last week: “I’m still under contract with Brugge for two more years.

“They do not pay me now because I had a clause stipulating that I could stop if I wanted to. But if I want to go to a new club or country, they would have to negotiate with Club Brugge.

“There is cash compensation required for me to leave the contract.”

While Preud’homme was heavily linked with the post last night, Aberdeen manager

Derek McInnes remains the overwhelming favourite to replace Caixinha.

It was widely reported at the weekend that the Dons boss – a former player at Ibrox – is Rangers’ No 1 target and that they could ask Aberdeen for permission to speak to him as early as today. Rangers will also need to find out what kind of compensation package they’ll need to stump up,

given that McInnes, pictured, is contracted at Aberdeen until 2020.

McInnes oversaw the Dons’ 2-1 win against Ross County at the weekend, a result that moved his side to within a point of Premiership leaders Celtic, and afterwards would not be drawn on a potential move to Ibrox.

“You can see the focus. Everyone was just geared towards trying to win the game,” said McInnes. “We’re well used to speculation here, whether it’s about our players or myself. We’ve dealt with it in the past and will continue to deal with it.”

Rangers development squad coach Graeme Murty is currently in charge and was in the dugout for Saturday’s win against Hearts at Murrayfield.