Rangers have officially confirmed the signing of Kevin Kelsy from Portland Timbers, with the Venezuelan striker completing a £9.5million move to Ibrox.
The 22-year-old becomes the latest major addition to Derek McInnes' squad, the thirteenth signing of a busy summer.
Kelsy's arrival has been in the works for several weeks, with Rangers identifying the South American as their preferred replacement for Youssef Chermiti.
Chermiti suffered an ACL injury against Hibs which is expected to keep him sidelined until after the New Year at the earliest, leaving McInnes looking for another option in attack.
The Rangers boss made no secret of his desire to bring in another striker and believes Kelsy can add another dimension to his forward line.
Kelsy’s first words as a Ranger
Speaking after the deal was completed, Kelsy said: “I’ve heard a lot about the club. Even when I was younger, I saw the team in Europe. I know what the club means to the fans.
I would love to bring some joy to the fans and the club, and score goals to bring amazing moments to the team.
“I know we have to win all the games and play well, and I’ll be ready for this with my teammates. I’m ready for this new chapter in my life.”
The striker arrives at Ibrox after an impressive spell with Portland Timbers.
Kelsy joined the MLS side from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2025 and went on to establish himself as one of Portland's leading attacking players.
He scored 19 goals in 63 appearances for the Timbers, including a strong 2026 campaign which attracted attention from clubs outside Major League Soccer.
The transfer also represents a significant piece of business for Portland, with the reported £9.5m initial fee making Kelsy one of the most expensive players to leave the MLS club.
Delay in announcement
MLS insider Tom Bogert had previously revealed that the deal was delayed by an issue surrounding Kelsy's entitlement to a percentage of the transfer fee under the league's collective bargaining agreement.
However, the matter was ultimately resolved and Kelsy was able to complete his move to Scotland.
Former Timbers’ boss Phil Neville revealed he convinced the Gers to make the move.
“I spoke to Rangers last week, and I said you will get someone who's not the finished article, but if you give him lots of love and let him develop, he can be a star,” the former Everton and Manchester United man said.
“He knows, and everyone knows, how highly I rate this kid.
“He's young, plus-6-foot, athletically like a machine. But he's still developing.”
“I'm still young and obviously capable of making big changes in my life,” he said.
“One has to assimilate and accept change. I simply let myself be guided by my dreams.”
Derek McInnes delighted to secure front man
The manager believes his physical presence and attacking qualities can give Rangers another option, particularly with Chermiti unavailable.
McInnes said: “We’re really pleased to welcome Kevin to the club. He’s an exciting player with a lot of attributes, and what really stood out in our conversations is how hungry he is to make an impact.
He’ll bring real quality to an area of the pitch we have been keen to strengthen, and his arrival gives us another exciting option going forward.
“Kevin has a great attitude and a real desire to improve, and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can bring at Rangers.”
Kelsy is a physically imposing forward at 6ft 4in and offers Rangers a different profile in the final third.
His arrival also gives McInnes greater flexibility in how he uses Lawrence Shankland, with the Rangers boss previously indicating that he would like to return to a two-striker system once the squad allows it.
He also has Ryan Naderi and Bojan Miovski to select from up top.
Kelsy's signing comes with considerable expectations given the size of the transfer fee.
The £9.5m package makes him the second biggest signing in Rangers' history, meaning there will be significant pressure on the Venezuela international to make an immediate impact.
However, Rangers have been working on the deal for some time and believe they have secured the player they wanted to replace Chermiti.
Kelsy now becomes the latest attacking addition to a Rangers squad which has undergone significant change under McInnes.
And with the Scottish transfer deadline approaching, his arrival may not necessarily be the final piece of business at Ibrox.
Rangers remain active in the final hours of the window, with Stuttgart winger Badredine Bouanani closing in on a loan move and other attacking options having been explored.
Bouanani will be announced later tonight as per the Rangers Review.
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