After months of speculation, Davide Ancelotti has emerged as the front runner for the vacant managerial post at Rangers.
Some reports claim Ancelotti is keen to take on his first managerial job at Ibrox following talks with the club, who are set to undergo a takeover by an American consortium involving Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises.
The 35-year-old Italian is the son of and long-time assistant manager to Carlo Ancelotti, who has just departed Real Madrid to become boss of Brazil.
Ancelotti senior added to the speculation this week when he announced that his son was in talks with European clubs but would join him at Brazil should nothing come of the interest.
Ancelotti junior had a short playing career at AC Milan and Borgomanero before moving into the other side of the game.
He joined his father Carlo as fitness coach at French giants PSG and followed him to Real Madrid in a similar role.
After subsequently becoming assistant manager to Ancelotti senior at Bayern Munich and moved with him to Napoli and Everton and back to Real Madrid.
Inevitable accusations of nepotism must be weighed up against the high-end experience gained under one of the best managers ever to grace the game and the level of player he has been entrusted to coach, to great success.
Carlo has lifted the Champions League five times as boss, twice with his son as assistant.
Carlo, unsurprisingly, has backed his decision to bring his son into the fold and has been widely quoted as saying: “Davide is a competent, disciplined, professional and very calm assistant coach.
“He’s here because he’s a good professional, not because he is my son.”
There has been little other than positivity from players he has coached in the past.
The Daily Record quoted superstar striker Robert Lewandowski speaking in glowing terms about Davide Ancelotti’s time at Bayern Munich when the German giants won a Bundesliga title and two DFL-Supercup trophies
The Poland striker said: “Working with Davide is very good. Both sides benefit. He’s very talented and can explain everything very well.”
Javi Martinez, the former Bayern midfielder, is also a fan of Ancelotti junior, saying: “Davide completes Carlo and helps him understand the evolution of football. Davide is incredible: prepared, serious, a great person, like his father.”
It seems like the time is right for Ancelotti to take that first step into managing and he may get the chance to fly on his own at Ibrox.
