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Steven Gerrard insists he has unfinished business as a manager - and admits he would jump at the chance if the right club came calling.
Gerrard is now the clear favourite for a return to Rangers after the club finally sacked Russell Martin last weekend following a dismal start to the season.
It is understood that Sean Dyche will not be under consideration for the role, with Hearts also set to resist any approach for Derek McInnes.
Gerrard described his time at Rangers as ‘the perfect match’ and the door could be open for him to return to the club he managed for three years and with whom he won a Scottish Premiership title in 2021.
The former Liverpool and England captain held initial talks with Rangers prior to Martin being appointed back in the summer.
Those talks never went any further due to Gerrard expressing a reluctance about the possibility of having to uproot his family from their life in Bahrain.
Steven Gerrard won the Scottish Premiership during his time as Rangers manager
Sean Dyche has - at the moment - been ruled out of the running to be the next Ibrox boss
Gerrard was linked with a return to Rangers prior to the appointment of Russell Martin
Daily Mail Sport understands that his personal circumstances have not changed since then, but he insists the door is by no means closed on his career in management following spells with Aston Villa and Al Ettifaq.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Gerrard was asked by his former England team-mate about a possible return to management.
‘I would love another go at some point,’ said the 45-year-old, who is currently out of work. ‘I want to change a few things and improve a few things and come back fresh. With a few different people around myself.
‘I would love another couple of challenges doing this. And that’s what I’m working on in the background at the moment. A few different ideas, a few different people around me.
‘Now, I’m enjoying family time and doing a lot of things that I haven’t been able to do. Going to Grand Prix, doing exhibition games with ex-teammates and superstars, that type of stuff’s been great.
‘But there’s a part of me that still feels that there’s a bit of unfinished business in terms of wanting to go in and face another couple of exciting challenges. But I want a certain type of challenge.
‘If in an ideal world they come available, I’ll jump at them. If they don’t, I won’t go back in. I want to be at a team that’s going to compete to win because I think that suits me better.
‘I think certain jobs and certain clubs would suit my style and the way I like to go about it.
‘But I’ve also got time now where I’m not in a rush, where I know the right people that are out there to make me a stronger and a better coach. They’re the people I need to find.
‘Because if I get the right match with them people around me, I know and I’ve proved I can be successful as a manager. And that’s what I’m working on in the background now.’
Reflecting on his first spell at Ibrox, he added: ‘I got the opportunity to go to Rangers and I loved it. Rangers, I felt like it was the perfect match. And it went on from there.’
Gerrard revealed he has had conversations with various clubs since leaving Al Ettifaq but none of them have come at the right time.
‘I’ve had five or six really interesting phone calls since I stopped in Saudi,’ he admitted. ‘And I haven’t been ready because I haven’t got that team set around me. And the timing hasn’t been right.
‘My daughter’s just had a baby. I’ve just become a granddad. I wasn’t ready. I haven’t got my staff ready. So unfortunately, those opportunities or those phone calls have come at the wrong time, if you like.
‘But if the right call comes my way, the right club, the right challenge, and I’ve got my people set, which I will have at some point, I’ll take that challenge on because it’s in me. It’s in me.’
