Rangers Sign Minsu Kim for £8.5m as Summer Rebuild Intensifies
Rangers have pushed their summer rebuild deeper into overdrive, sealing an £8.5m move for Girona winger Minsu Kim as Derek McInnes continues to reshape his forward line.
The 20-year-old South Korea international has signed an initial four-year deal at Ibrox, with the club holding an option for a further 12 months, and becomes the 12th new arrival of a frantic window. He is unlikely to be the last. A £9.2m agreement is already in place with Portland Timbers for striker Kevin Kelsy, with that deal expected to be completed before the September 3 deadline.
Kim arrives to sharpen Rangers’ edge
Kim will not feature in Thursday night’s Conference League play-off second leg against Jablonec, having been left out of the European squad, but could make his debut in Sunday’s league trip to Aberdeen, live on Sky Sports.
The winger arrives with a sharp upward curve behind him. Signed by Girona in 2022, he worked his way through the B team before making his La Liga debut in October 2024. A month later, he stepped onto the Champions League stage. Last season, on loan at La Liga 2 side Andorra, he produced six goals and four assists, enough to convince Rangers he was ready for a bigger platform.
Kim made no attempt to hide his enthusiasm after completing the move.
"I'm so happy to sign for Rangers. I know it's a big club with great, great fans," he said. "I want to help the team to be better every day, to be a good person, and to do everything I can to help the team win everything that comes our way.
"I have a lot of excitement and I believe I have the mentality of a winner. I want to face whatever comes next head-on and I'm going to give the club what it deserves."
McInnes believes he has secured a player who fits exactly the profile he has been chasing all summer.
"We are delighted to welcome Minsu to Rangers. Strengthening our options in the forward areas has been a real target and focus for us throughout this window, and we believe he will add another exciting dimension to the squad," the manager said.
"Minsu is a talented young player with excellent technical ability, energy and a real desire to develop, and we are looking forward to working with him."
Raskin left at home as transfer noise grows
While one door opens, another may be about to close. Nicolas Raskin has not travelled with the squad to the Czech Republic for the Jablonec tie, with McInnes confirming the midfielder’s absence is down to mounting transfer interest rather than injury.
Clubs from across Europe and England are circling. Atalanta and Real Betis have already been credited with an interest earlier in the window, and it is understood teams from Spain, Italy, France and England are now exploring a move for the 25-year-old Belgium international, who has two years remaining on his Ibrox contract.
"Nico hasn't travelled. Nothing to do with injury or anything like that, just the potential of a transfer, potentially," McInnes explained. "I just think we're so late in the window, maybe it's something the club's looking at. He's trained this morning but has been left back in Glasgow.
"When I came into the job, it was quite clear that there was going to be an opportunity for Nico. There's been plenty of interest in him. We believe that interest has stepped up over the last couple of days, so something may or may not happen.
"If Nico stays beyond the window, then it would be great to work with him. But if he doesn't, we wish him well."
Rangers hold a 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg against Jablonec as both clubs chase a place in the Conference League proper. McInnes, already bolstered by three midfield arrivals this summer, was asked if Raskin’s departure would trigger another move in that area.
"In certain areas of the pitch, we're a bit stronger than others. I think everything moves on," he said. "Nico served the club well. There's obviously an opportunity for him and the club to capitalise on that for a transfer fee. I don't really want to say too much about Nico at the minute until, if and when, something happens.
"It's still an if rather than a certainty. So maybe we can comment a bit more on that if something happens."
For now, Rangers stand on a knife-edge: one foot in Europe, one eye on the market, and a new winger ready to announce himself just as the season starts to harden into shape.
