REPUBLIC OF IRELAND midfielder Ray Houghton could be on the verge of taking his first step into management as player-manager of first division Reading. The 35-year-old former Liverpool player, who has been released by promoted Crystal Palace, has the required experience to succeed joint managers Jimmy Quinn and Mick Gooding at Elm Park.
Quinn and Gooding left Reading by mutual consent last month, with chairman John Madejski intent on finding a big-name replacement after the club narrowly avoided relegation.
Palace chairman Ron Noades said: "If Ray goes to Reading in a managerial capacity, then good luck to him. He has done a great job for us, but the management here feel Ray should continue his career elsewhere. You couldn't meet a better guy, but we don't have a role left here for him."
Meanwhile, Rangers continued their astonishing summer spending spree last night by signing 26-year-old Perugia striker Marco Negri on a four-year contract following a £3.7 million move.
Negri becomes the third Italian player to join the Scottish champions during the close season.
Defenders Lorenzo Amorouso and Sergio Porrini moved to Ibrox from Fiorentina and Juventus respectively.
Rangers have made wholesale changes during the summer in a bid to make an impact in the Champions League next season and the arrival of Negri pushes their spending to over £14 million.
Amorouso cost £5 million, Porrini £3 million and there were other major signings as well during a hectic schedule by Rangers.
In addition to the three Italians, manager Walter Smith splashed out £1.5 million on Rosenberg defender Staale Stensaas and recruited the Swedish skipper Jonas Thern and Australian Tony Vidmar for nothing.
Negri's arrival in Glasgow means that Rangers are now only searching for another goalkeeper, but Dutch star Oscar Moens looks unlikely to join them.
Negri was anxious to move on following his club's relegation and was introduced at a news conference last night.
Smith is certain that the partnership between Negri and Danish star Brian Laudrup, who committed himself to the club last week for another season at least, will flourish.
. Bobby Rob son's right-hand man at Barcelona has confirmed that both he and the former England manager will be leaving the Spanish giants at the end of the month.
Although Barcelona have yet to make their departures official, Dutch coach Louis van Gaal will be appointed to take over from Robson after the Spanish Cup final on June 28th.
Jose Mourinho, who came with Rob son to Barcelona from Porto last June, said: "Like Bobby, I will be leaving Barcelona on June 30th. I'm of the same opinion as Rob son that if van Gaal doesn't win the League in his first year, he'll meet the same fate.
"We are leaving because, despite Barcelona winning the Spanish Super Cup, the European Cup Winners' Cup and getting a place in the European Champions' League and a place in the Spanish Cup final, we did not win the League title. What's happened here is incredible."
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