Rangers wrapped up their summer transfer business in dramatic fashion, confirming the signings of Venezuelan striker Kevin Kelsy and Algerian winger Badredine Bouanani just as the Scottish transfer window shut on Thursday.
The two additions bring Rangers' tally of new arrivals for the summer to 14, underlining the scale of the rebuild undertaken at Ibrox ahead of the new season.
Kelsy, a powerfully built 22-year-old forward standing at 6ft 4in, arrives from Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers for an undisclosed fee. The Scottish Premiership club have tied him down to a four-year contract, with the option of extending his stay by a further year.
The left-footed striker has been in fine form this season, netting 10 goals and providing three assists in 16 appearances for Portland, who currently sit 11th in the Western Conference and 17th overall in MLS. Since joining the club, Kelsy has made 63 appearances in all, scoring 19 times and setting up five more, helping the Timbers to an eighth-placed finish in the West and 17th overall last term.
His move to Portland came in January 2025, when he was sold by Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk after two successful seasons there that yielded nine goals in 37 matches and back-to-back league titles. Before his move to Europe, Kelsy had built his reputation in South America, starting out at Mineros de Guayana in his native Venezuela before a spell with Uruguayan side Boston River.
Alongside Kelsy's arrival, Rangers also secured the services of Bouanani, a 20-year-old Algerian international winger, on a season-long loan from German Bundesliga club Stuttgart. The move gives Rangers additional attacking width and creativity as they prepare for a demanding campaign on multiple fronts.
The timing of the announcements — coming right as the transfer deadline passed — reflects the frantic nature of deadline day business across Scottish football, with clubs racing to finalise deals before the window closed. For Rangers, securing both a proven goal-scorer in Kelsy and a promising young winger in Bouanani represents a significant boost to manager's options heading into the new season.
Kelsy's physical profile and scoring record in MLS will have been key factors in Rangers' pursuit of the striker, with the Glasgow club evidently viewing him as a long-term solution to their forward line given the length of contract on offer. His experience of winning titles at Shakhtar Donetsk also brings a pedigree of success to add to his attributes.
Bouanani, meanwhile, joins on a temporary basis, giving Rangers the chance to assess whether the Algerian international can make an impact in Scottish football before any decision on a permanent move is considered. His loan from Stuttgart adds another dimension to the Ibrox side's options out wide.
With the summer window now closed, attention will turn to how quickly the new arrivals can integrate into the squad and contribute on the pitch. The addition of 14 new faces over the course of the transfer window signals a summer of significant change at Ibrox, as the club looks to strengthen its position domestically and in European competition.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.