Top source shares Ibrox upgrade trigger after Rangers sanction inspection
Rangers are prepared to sanction redevelopment work to boost the capacity of Ibrox once they can secure regular European football again.
That is according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Gers need consistent European revenue before they can upgrade their home.
This comes after the news that the 49ers welcomed consulting engineers for an inspection at Ibrox at the start of October, as part of their long-term plans to boost the ground's capacity.
However, Wyness believes that Champions League football holds the "key" to the club making tangible progress with the project.
Ibrox's current capacity stands at around 51,000, just under 10,000 less than Celtic Park on the other side of Glasgow.
The 49ers are desperately hoping to close that gap in the coming years, but they must show patience before they can begin to act on their ideals.
Rangers need increased demand of European games
Aberdeen's former chief Wyness - who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004 and now runs a consultancy business advising elite clubs - believes that Rangers would also need the guarantee of increased demand for tickets from European games before they sanctioned a stadium upgrade
The project would require a huge financial commitment from the ownership, who must be absolutely certain that the ground would continue to sell out regularly at an increased capacity.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained why sustained European qualification is the "key" to Rangers' project moving forward.
"If you're getting the European revenue coming in and the demand for European games, then of course you'd be much more open to the idea of expansion of the facilities at Ibrox," he said.
"Right now, I think they're quite right to look at what it would cost, and keep looking at these things continually. They'll probably have some sort of glossy brochure and some nice renderings, et cetera, to show the fans that they're thinking of progress.
"But the reality is you need consistent European runs, which they used to have. And so they've got to get back to it. Both Celtic and Rangers have to get these consistent European runs.
"That's the whole advantage they've got in Scottish football. And only then can you start looking at proper stadium improvements and expansion. Europe is the key, and they keep forgetting it for some reason."
Rangers told how to 'turbocharge' new model after Celtic overtake
Wyness previously told Football Insider earlier this week that European exposure also holds the key to Rangers "turbocharging" their new player trading model.
The Gers' recently overtook Celtic to become the Scottish Premiership's most valuable squad in the current market, something Wyness believes is a sign of their model beginning to bear fruit.
However, the boardroom also noted that Rangers players being able to showcase their talent on the European stage would create a whole new shop window for them.
Wyness firmly believes that they are on the right track in terms of their trading model, but feels there is still more to be done to boost it further.