Rangers have confirmed the appointment of former Southampton boss Russell Martin on a three-year deal. 

Martin saw off competition from former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard and Carlo Ancelotti's son Davide, who was his assistant at Bayern Munich, Napoli and Real Madrid.

The 39-year-old is the permanent successor to Philippe Clement, who was sacked in February, with Barry Ferguson leading the team for the final months of last season. 

A US-based consortium, led by Andrew Cavenagh and including the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, completed a takeover of the club last week.

And one of their first major appointments was Martin, who made 17 appearances on loan at Rangers in 2018. 

Assisting the former Scotland international at Ibrox will be Matt Gill, who worked under Martin at Swansea City and Southampton.

"It is a privilege to be named head coach of Rangers Football Club at the beginning of this exciting new chapter," Martin told Rangers' official website. 

"I know what this club demands. From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history.

"Now, as I return, I'm determined to bring success back, for the supporters, the players, and everyone inside this club.

"I'm here to set standards, work hard and do my very best to earn the respect of the Rangers fans.

"There's a lot to be done, but the goal is clear: win matches, win trophies, and give Rangers fans a team that they can be proud of.

"We want to play with bravery, to take the ball, to be aggressive, and to stand up in the big moments.

"Preparations for pre-season are already underway. I look forward to meeting the players and building a squad that our fans can believe in."

Martin took charge of 73 matches with Southampton, earning them promotion in 2023-24, but struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League. 

He managed just one win from his 16 games in the top-flight (D2 L13), conceding 36 goals and averaging a win percentage of 6.25% before being sacked last December.