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The former Liverpool captain is in the spotlight of conversation after Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin on Sunday, and the ex-coach is set to discuss a possible return with the team's leadership.

The decision-makers at Rangers have stated that a "thorough, thoughtful hiring process" is currently underway.

Other candidates will be reviewed, however if the former Anfield and Three Lions captain is open to a second stint at Ibrox, is the job as good as his?

The 45-year-old manager lately spoken about “unfinished business” in coaching and revealed he has started contacting prospective staff for his backroom team.

In a recent podcast interview with Rio Ferdinand, which seemed to be filmed prior to Martin's brief tenure concluded, Gerrard expressed he desired “to be at a club that's set to challenge to win because I believe that fits me better”.

He added: “If the right call comes my way, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've assembled my staff, which I will have at a future date, I'll take that challenge on because it's part of my nature.”

Gerrard's Record at Rangers in Initial Period

After gaining experience as a youth development coach at Anfield, Gerrard took on his first managerial role in the summer of 2018.

Over three full campaigns at Ibrox, he secured just one trophy – however it was a big one.

Following placements of 13 and nine points behind Celtic in his first two campaigns, Gerrard guided Rangers to their maiden top-flight championship in a ten years, which just happened to prevent their Old Firm rivals an unprecedented tenth consecutive win.

And he achieved it in style, with his team unbeaten throughout.

Rangers triumphed in all of their home games, scored 92 goals and conceded a only 13.

The drawback was that it came amid of Covid and fanless grounds.

It remains Rangers' only league triumph since the 2010-11 season.

What Was Gerrard's Old Firm Record Look?

In stark contrast to Martin's disappointing spell, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, going 12 games without defeat until his first visit to Parkhead.

In his first season the Old Firm results were shared, each side securing two home wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.

Two losses to Celtic occurred in the following truncated season, followed by Rangers securing a victory in the east end of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.

After that, Gerrard stayed unbeaten in derbies, claiming five additional and drawing once.

Rangers progressed through four stages of preliminaries to reach the group stage of the Europa League in Gerrard's debut season.

In the 2019-20 campaign, they advanced to the elimination stage of the identical tournament, being eliminated to the German side in the round of 16, with their run ending at the same stage the following season.

What Led Gerrard Depart Rangers?

The Birmingham club came calling in late 2021, forking out £4.5m in compensation.

He left Rangers four points ahead of Celtic at the summit of the standings – however their city rivals would claw that back to prevail by the identical gap.

The lure of the Premier League is strong and it may have been viewed as the next logical step on a dream return to Anfield at a time when his managerial stock was high.

“Steven and his coaching team have made sure that the club is clearly in a stronger position today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” commented then Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.

“We have had a desire to advance the club, to modernise our facilities and to return the team to winning ways.”

What Was Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?

Gerrard did not last a year at Villa Park.

Up and down results yielded a 14th-place position at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 loss at Craven Cottage placed them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.

During 2022, he won just eight of his 31 games, suffering defeat in 15.

He transferred to the Middle East in summer 2023 when he assumed control at the Saudi club.

His most recent role lasted 18 months and he departed with the club placed 12th in the Saudi league, only five points clear of the drop zone.

“Overall, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a positive experience personally and for my family,” he said in late January. “But football is uncertain, and sometimes things don't go the way we want.”

Those after Rangers exploits could cause some pause for thought and the man himself may have concerns over taking over a underperforming team, but Gerrard likely has the character to handle such a high-profile post.

He is the sole Rangers boss to have won the championship since the great Walter Smith. That achievement could be difficult to overlook for an pressured Ibrox board.