San Francisco 49ers Enterprises are preparing to launch a major takeover bid for Rangers - with the Ibrox club set to be bankrolled by the financial power of the NFL giants

Scottish soccer club Rangers FC could be on the brink of a game-changing US-led takeover, with the financial backing of NFL team San Francisco 49ers. High-level talks over a multi-million pound investment are said to have kicked off at the turn of the year and are now thought to be in an advanced stage.

The San Francisco 49ers could be the next team to strike gold from private equity's rush into the NFL. The team is exploring selling a roughly 10% stake, according to someone with direct knowledge of the details.