I exited Rangers 'in the wrong way' – Giovanni van Bronckhorst reveals gripe that bugs him as mentor wants him home

Upfront Gio van Bronckhorst has confessed he exited Rangers in the wrong way after admitting he would leap at the chance to secure an emotional return to Feyenoord.

The 49-year-old pulled no punches over Michael Beale replacing him in the Ibrox dugout – believing the big-talking Londoner broke the managerial code by showing up at Ibrox weeks before the Dutchman was axed. The former Netherlands skipper has expanded on his regrets over his Ibrox end game. And now a marquee return to Feyenoord has been mooted. Van Bronckhorst has been strongly linked in his Dutch homeland for a return to management with former club Feyenoord, with another ex-Ibrox boss Dick Advocaat insisting he was the obvious choice.

Van Bronckhorst is currently a TV pundit and was asked about the speculation of succeeding Liverpool-bound Arne Slot during the Champions League semi-finals coverage this week. And he admitted his departure from Rangers still hurt.

He said: "I don't know if it makes it more difficult to return to a club you were previously successful at. I was a player for Rangers and went there as a manager. And I left in a way I didn't want to - in the wrong way. Of course, Feyenoord is the club of my heart, everyone knows that. I first walked in there when I was seven years old. But nothing is happening at the moment. I haven't had to think about it yet. Of course, I had a great time at Feyenoord. Four years as an assistant and then four years as a manager. I had a lot of wonderful moments. I cherish that."

Slot will head to Anfield this summer with Feyenoord guaranteed group stage football in the Champions League for the second consecutive season.