Steven Gerrard will ask for clarity on the new chain of command at Ibrox before deciding whether to press on with talks over a remarkable return to Rangers.

Record Sport understands the former Gers gaffer is preparing to hold initial discussions with the club's new American owners in London this week - and could even take place as soon as Thursday.

But sources close to the Ibrox legend insist these will merely be the first "exploratory" steps in a process that could take some time yet to complete.

It's certainly not at the formal interview stage, with this week's opening meeting arranged in order to give the 45-year-old a better understanding of how the new Gers pecking order has been laid out following the club's US summer takeover.

Record Sport revealed earlier this week that the former Light Blues boss had reservations about taking on a struggling squad that is sitting ELEVEN points off leaders Hearts only seven games into the campaign.

But we understand he is now willing to at least meet and hear what Gers chiefs have to say.

The ex-England skipper's first stint with the club began in 2018. He was hired by then chairman Dave King, who headed a board mainly consisting of well-to-do lifelong supporters of the club.

When the South Africa-based businessman King stepped down as the Covid pandemic struck, Douglas Park stepped up to become Gerrard's line manager and was in charge as the managed guided Gers to their 2021 league crown.

However, it was the motor group magnate who ended up shouldering much of the blame for the penny pinching approach that eventually saw Gerrard quit later that year to take over at Aston Villa.

But it's a vastly different picture at the club these days, with a Stateside consortium headed by Andrew Cavenagh and his partners at the San Francisco 49ers now in at the helm.

Chairman Cavenagh leads the new-look board, with 49ers Enterprises exec and Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe acting as his right-hand man.

The day-to-day running of the club, however, has been left to besieged CEO Patrick Stewart and under-fire sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

Now Gerrard will request a breakdown on each man's roles and responsibilities before weighing up whether his methods can fit in with the new structure.

He will also ask for a rundown on backroom operations at Auchenhowie given the huge turnaround in staff that has taken place in the four years since he left to take over at Villa Park.

This week's initial negotiations are not expected to involve key matters like the make up of any potential backroom staff nor future transfer funds.

But they do look far more substantial than the brief discussions that took place over the summer before Gers settled on their doomed move for axed gaffer Russell Martin.

Ibrox chiefs have drawn up a short-list containing a number of other candidates but it's still too early to say if Gerrard is the leading contender given the assurances he will be looking for if he is to give up his life in Bahrain, where his family still resides following his spell in charge of Saudi side Al Ettifaq.

There are tax implications to be overcome too - but the Rangers faithful have already made clear to the board that the man who led their team to an Invincible league crown only four years ago is the overwhelming No1 pick to clear up the mess left after Martin's disastrous 122-day reign.