Olwethu Makhanya has arrived in Glasgow ahead of the expected announcement of his move to Rangers.
The South African defender is closing in on becoming Derek McInnes' latest signing after personal terms were agreed and Philadelphia Union and the MLS accepted a $4.5 million (£3.4m) offer for the 22-year-old.
The deal has been progressing over recent days, with Rangers moving quickly to strengthen their defensive options before the transfer window closes.
Makhanya is now in Scotland to complete the final formalities of the transfer before the Ibrox club officially unveil him as a Rangers player.
McInnes confirmed the move was close in his press conference yesterday, ahead of Friday evening's trip to Dundee United.
"We'll probably be able to announce one either tonight or tomorrow," he said.
"That's one that is close. As I say, we're pretty close to maybe announcing that. So it would probably be safe to say that one looks pretty good for us."
The centre-back is expected to add further competition to McInnes' back line as Rangers continue reshaping the squad ahead of the new campaign, with Scotland defender John Souttar set to depart in the near future.
Second Ibrox South African
Makhanya joined Philadelphia from Stellenbosch in 2024 and has established himself as one of the most promising young defenders to emerge from his country in recent years.
His performances in Major League Soccer attracted interest from Europe, with Rangers ultimately winning the race for his signature. The move will also see Makhanya make history.
Once officially confirmed, he will become the first South African to represent Rangers since Bongani Zungu, who spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Ibrox.
Zungu made 21 appearances during Rangers' unbeaten Scottish Premiership title-winning season under Steven Gerrard, helping the club secure its historic 55th league championship before returning to parent club Amiens at the end of the campaign.
Supporters will hope Makhanya can enjoy a similarly successful spell in Glasgow as he begins the next chapter of his career, albeit they will hope he features more regularly than Zungu did under the Liverpool legend.
The signing also underlines Rangers' willingness to explore markets beyond Europe as McInnes and the recruitment team continue to reshape the squad with younger players capable of developing their value over time.
With Makhanya now in Glasgow and all major aspects of the deal agreed, an official announcement from Rangers is expected shortly as the defender prepares to become the latest addition to McInnes' squad ahead of the new Scottish Premiership season.
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