alongside fans' groups and other Rangers-supporting businessmen.

"Sarver is a serious player with superb credentials," a source close to the deal told the BBC. "He is a very well-funded, long-term investor with an impeccable 30-year business pedigree.

"He knows what it takes to make major sports clubs successful and would bring a tremendous track record to Rangers.

"He has three sons who are all very keen footballers and he watches their games every weekend.

"He is regarded as a straight-talking and very determined guy with a genuine passion for sport and an impressive record of success at the highest level of US sport and business.

"Of course, he sees this as an exciting opportunity to invest in a major sporting institution, but given his involvement in the NBA, he fully realises that, withoutthe broad support of fans, any proposals are doomed to failure."

For that reason, the source added, Sarver was keen to build a broad-based coalition of fans' groups and prominent supporters who have the club's best long-term future at heart.

"Sarver's previous involvement in major sports shows that the £33m would just be an initial investment. If you are going to rebuild a major club like Rangers and get it back to the very top of the game on a stable and sustainable basis, additional funding will be needed, alongside a strong, experienced and highly professional senior management team," the source said.

"The response of the club's board to this proposal will be extremely important. If there is a genuine wish to act in the best long-term interests of the club,