The Spaniard is known to Ibrox vice chairman Paraag Marathe from their time together at Elland Road
13:19, 28 Nov 2025Updated 13:21, 28 Nov 2025
Leeds United director of football Victor Orta rages at the final whistle
Victor Orta has emerged as favourite to replace Kevin Thelwell as Rangers sporting director.
The Spaniard has director of football at Leeds United during the 49ers Enterprises, part of the American consortium now in control at Ibrox, initial involvement at Elland Road.
Orta moved to La Liga side Sevilla and then Real Valladolid but is now favourite for the Rangers role with Esports Bets.
The 46-year-old was a controversial character during his time in Yorkshire – and once made a beeline for the Brentford board after watching his side snatch a late equaliser.
He was also handed a one-match stadium ban by The FA after accepting a charge of improper conduct following an incident in the tunnel during a game against Millwall.
Rangers vice chairman Paraag Marathe will know of Orta from their time together at Leeds United.
Paraag Marathe, Victor Orta, Angus Kinnear and Paul Bell watch on at Elland Road
Ex-Liverpool and Wolfsburg operator Jorg Schmadtke is next at 7/2, while former Rangers and Everton defender and current football executive David Weir is 9/2 to return in a senior role despite recently taking up a post at French side Strasbourg after leaving Brighton. Leicester’s long-serving director of football Jon Rudkin is a 5/1 chance, with ex-Monaco and Spurs director Paul Mitchell priced 7/1.
Darragh Harbison, spokesperson for Esports Bets, said: “Rangers will be looking to move quickly after making some seismic changes off the pitch, parting ways with their chief executive and sporting director this week.
“The early betting points to Victor Orta as the likeliest candidate at 3/1 to take the sporting director role, closely followed by Jörg Schmadtke at 7/2 and former Rangers defender David Weir at 9/2. Jon Rudkin and Paul Mitchell are next in the market, priced 5/1 and 7/1 respectively.”
Next Rangers Sporting Director
Victor Orta
3/1
Jörg Schmadtke
7/2
David Weir
9/2
Jon Rudkin
5/1
Paul Mitchell
7/2
Tim Steidten
8/1
Jurgen Klopp
10/1
Dan Ashworth
12/1
Meanwhile, Braga ace Victor Gomez insisted his side deserved to beat Rangers in the Europa League….even when they were reduced to ten men.
Rangers earned their first point in the competition to end a seven-game losing streak in Europe when a first half penalty from James Tavernier was cancelled out by an equaliser from Gabri Martinez.
And defender Gomez reckons they were the better side even though they had to play for half an hour with ten men.
He said: “Actually, after the sending off, we were excellent and played our best football. We deserved the win even though we had ten men for a lot of the game.
“We created more opportunities than Rangers and should have got the three points. But I think in the circumstances, a point isn’t a bad result and we are in a great position to qualify now.”
And goalscorer Martinez was satisfied with taking a point back to Portugal. He said: “We knew it would be difficult here. A draw is a good result when you consider what we were up against.
“I scored from a mistake that they made and our manager told us if we pressed Rangers, we would get opportunities. We worked so hard with a man less.”