Chris Sutton thinks Rangers takeover is the ‘best thing that can happen’ to Celtic

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Rangers’ takeover has finally been completed and former Celtic star Chris Sutton believes that the Hoops can benefit from it in the long run.

Celtic’s Glasgow neighbours confirmed the completion of the 49ers Enterprises takeover, giving them a 51 per cent majority stake in the club.

That hasn’t dampened spirits at Celtic Park though as Brendan Rodgers and co prepare to go in search of a 56th Scottish Premiership title.

As per, all of the noise coming from Ibrox is that Rangers are back but this time, Sutton thinks his former club can’t ignore the noise and that fresh investment will be a good thing for the Hoops.

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Chris Sutton relishing fresh competition for Celtic

The last few seasons have seen Celtic stroll to pretty much every trophy on offer and leave the Bhoys extending their gap to Rangers.

One takeover won’t change the fact that Celtic are the favourites and Sutton thinks it will give Rodgers a new incentive to push on.

Writing in his Daily Record column, he said: “It would be foolish to put the head in the sand when it comes to the challenge coming from across the city.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing for Celtic. In fact, Rangers finally getting their act together might be the best thing that can happen to them.

“Celtic simply cannot afford to sit on their hands because their rivals won’t be worse next season than they were this time around – they can’t be.”

Sutton says a ‘strong Rangers helps Celtic’

When Sutton was playing in the green and white, he was here at a time when Rangers were at the top and the task was to knock them off their perch.

Reciting what former manager Martin O’Neill used to tell him, Sutton said: “My old manager Martin O’Neill has often stated he believes a strong Rangers helps make a strong Celtic. I would go along with that.

“In my time at the club, Rangers were strong – and we had to be to knock them off their perch.

“If there is a proper challenge coming from across the city, then Celtic will have to raise their levels and respond. That’s no bad thing.”