Liverpool and Polish keeper legend Jerzy Dudek insists it's only a matter of time before Steven Gerrard quits Rangers to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Dudek - who won a Champions League winners medal at Liverpool before winning La Liga with Real Madrid - was a teammate of Gerrard for six years on Merseyside.
He admits the Rangers boss was the last player he believed would go into management when he hung up his boots, but has been impressed with his work at Ibrox.
Steven Gerrard: Rangers fans might not want Europe this season but it's my job to get us there
And he insists it's an open secret that Gerrard will eventually return to Anfield as Klopp's replacement.
He said: "I was with Steven in the Liverpool dressing room for many years. I must admit I was amazed he became a manager so quickly after finishing playing.
"I spent a lot of time with him in private too and not once did he ever mention to me he wanted to become a manager.
"But he is ideally suited to it because he was a great leader and as a captain, he brilliantly managed our dressing room.
"But honestly, I would have laughed at you if you told me he wanted to be a manager.
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"Most of the very best players like to take a break after their playing career has ended and return to their family, who have sacrificed a lot during their career. But Steven quickly jumped from coaching the kids at Liverpool to becoming manager of Rangers.
"And it wasn't an obvious choice either because he took on a really difficult task.
"Rangers were just getting out of financial problems, they had uncertainty at board level and were just returning to the top league.
"But his development has been rapid because no one expected that and he has exceeded expectations.
"There are many reasons for his success. Steven has a nose for a good player, he can cope with difficult conditions and he has surrounded himself with the right people, like Gary McAllister, who is in some ways his football mentor, because he helped him a lot at Liverpool.
"Steven also has the opportunity to use the wisdom of Jurgen Klopp.
"When I was in Liverpool recently, it was no secret that Steven is the main and indeed, only candidate for replacing Klopp when he decides his time at Anfield is over.
"Everyone knows that sooner or later the great captain will return."
And Dudek, writing in homeland publication Przeglad Sportowy, believes Gerrard could be celebrating this week when they take on his countrymen Legia Warsaw in the play-off round of the Europa League.
He said: "I want Steven to do well and it's disappointing that either his team or Legia will go out of Europe this week.
"The first goal is going to be really important. Legia are strong defensively, but not so good in an attacking sense. They kept a clean sheet in Warsaw, but it won't be so easy for them in Scotland.
"I think the first 20 minutes will be crucial. Knowing Steven, I suspect he will tell his players to go out and crush Legia early on and settle the tie and Legia might not be able to cope with Rangers' intensity.
"Rangers will probably slow down after the first 20 minutes or so and if Legia survive the opening pressure, then they have a chance.
"However, that's easier said than done."
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