Rangers have appointed Stig Inge Bjornebye as football consultant and advisor while the search for a new sporting director continues.

The former Liverpool, Blackburn and Rosenburg player, capped 75 times by Norway, starts at the Govan club this week for an initial period of around six months and will report to chairman Andrew Cavenagh.

He previously worked as a sporting director for Rosenborg and most recently, Aarhus in Denmark.

It is understood the Ibrox club are still looking for a replacement for Kevin Thelwell, who departed as sporting director in November, along with chief executive Patrick Stewart, after a disastrous start to the season and the Ibrox club will take as much time as necessary to fill the role.

Bjornebye will work in an advisory and supportive capacity to head coach Danny Rohl, ahead of the January transfer window. It is understood that final transfer decisions will sit with Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe.

Rangers are third in the William Hill Premiership, nine points behind leaders Hearts whom they play at Tynecastle on Sunday.