Philippe Clement is closing in on his second signing of his fledgling reign at Rangers after it was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano that the board are moving in on Brighton’s Head of Recruitment Sam Jewell as new Ibrox Technical Director.

From the Italian transfer guru’s account, Jewell is interested in the job, but he’s wary of leaving Brighton given the seasiders’ stock has never been higher and they’re in a sensational place both on and off the pitch.

This is something, of course, that he has been a big part of, and this is a major reason Rangers seek his services as, effectively, Ross Wilson’s replacement.

Rangers have been without a Director of Football since the previous incumbent moved to Southampton, and of course subsequent manager Michael Beale made such a pig’s ear of recruitment and wasted a lot of Rangers’ cash on duds he couldn’t make sing.

We hope Clement can do a lot more with the Lammers and Dessers of this world, but he is completely in favour of a Technical Director above him doing the dirty work with recruitment and bringing in the quality he needs to do his job.

Jewell?

A very talented guy, huge part of Brighton’s rise to current levels, bringing in the senior players since November last year and developing talent from the younger ranks of the club and outside until November, Jewell absolutely is feeding Di Zerbi and previously Graham Potter with immaculate players they then sold for ridiculous sums.

It’s a superb model and works well, and Rangers want that talent at Ibrox for Clement.

Heart and Hand have denied this story completely, but sorry, Romano is absolutely, 100% completely never wrong. So there’s a good reason the club have instructed H&H to say this, and that’s fair enough.

But he’s a top football man Jewell, and Rangers would do well to get him.