The San Francisco 49ers’ ownership group appear keen to strengthen the connection between Rangers and Leeds United as part of a wider long-term strategy.
A consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises secured a majority stake in Rangers in May 2025 and have already begun reshaping the club’s direction. The same group also owns Leeds United, with Paraag Marathe serving as chairman at Elland Road while holding a board role at Ibrox. Cavenagh, meanwhile, regularly attends matches in Glasgow.
A major focus for the ownership model is youth development. Rangers recently benefited from a £300,000 contribution from the Rangers Youth Development Company (RYDC), pushing total academy-related funding to £12.5 million since 2002.
The latest sum is being used to enhance facilities at the Auchenhowie training centre.
Football finance expert Adam Williams revealed he had seen a presentation shared by 49ers Enterprises with Leeds investors that placed heavy emphasis on academy structures. He believes a similar blueprint could be implemented at Rangers, potentially leading to closer cooperation between the two clubs.
Williams explained that such collaboration could involve shared scouting networks and data, although he hopes it avoids becoming a strict feeder-club model.
He also noted that Rangers have already seen financial returns from academy investment, pointing to high-value sales such as Nathan Patterson’s £11.5m move to Everton, along with past deals involving Alan Hutton and Barry Ferguson.
He added that youth development is increasingly viewed as a crucial revenue stream, helping clubs balance finances through player sales and reduced transfer spending.
With Rangers still operating at a loss, academy productivity could become central to long-term sustainability.
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