Rangers Target Badredine Bouanani for Loan from Stuttgart

Rangers are closing in on Badredine Bouanani, with the Algerian winger undergoing a medical ahead of a season-long loan from VfB Stuttgart that includes an €18m buy option, according to the Rangers Review. Barring a late hitch in the final hours of the window, an official announcement is expected.

From Lille to Stuttgart – and Now Ibrox

Born in Lille, the 21-year-old came through the academy at LOSC Lille, progressing into their reserve side during the 2021-22 campaign. He represented France at various youth levels before switching allegiance to Algeria in 2023, earning five senior caps so far.

Bouanani left Lille on a Bosman to join Nice, initially linking up with their youth ranks before forcing his way into sporadic Ligue 1 action. A loan spell at Lorient followed, and the 2024-25 season finally gave him a more regular taste of top-flight football. His rise in France persuaded Stuttgart to pay around €15m for him last summer.

Germany, though, has not yet seen the full version of Bouanani. He made 28 appearances across all competitions for Stuttgart but spent most of that time coming off the bench, finishing the campaign with just two goals and two assists. For a player who thrives on rhythm and repetition, those numbers tell their own story: he needs minutes.

Why This Deal Works for Everyone

That is where Rangers step in. The Ibrox club have already brought in Daisuke Yokota but have continued to search for another left-footed option off the right, with interest also circulating around Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Amario Cozier-Duberry.

A loan with a sizeable buy option suits all parties. Stuttgart protect their investment and give their asset room to grow. Rangers gain a high-ceiling wide forward without committing immediately to a permanent fee. Bouanani, stuck between cameo roles and expectations in Germany, gets a stage and a fanbase that demand front-foot football.

The timing matters. Derek McInnes endured a nightmare in Europe, with Rangers crashing out of both the Europa League and Conference League qualifiers. That failure has stripped the season back to domestic business only, and Celtic have already raced five points clear at the top of the Premiership, winning every league game so far.

Rangers have responded with back-to-back wins over Aberdeen and Falkirk, but the performances have not fully convinced. The build-up often looks laboured. The final ball goes missing too often. Lawrence Shankland has rediscovered his scoring touch, yet the right flank remains unsettled, with neither Findlay Curtis nor Yokota nailing down the position.

This is the gap Bouanani has been brought to attack.

What Bouanani Brings to McInnes’ 4-2-3-1

Bouanani is not just another wide body. His game is built on explosive acceleration, sharp close control and quick, darting movements in tight pockets of space. He likes defenders close. Then he twists away from them.

Operating mainly off the right on his favoured left foot, he relishes one-on-one duels, cutting inside to shoot or slipping passes into the channel. When he stays wide, he can deliver overlapping crosses with composure. That variety matters for a Rangers side that has too often looked predictable around the box.

His skill set should inject more flair and edge into the final third. The Algerian’s ability to receive under pressure, roll his marker and carry the ball at pace gives McInnes a different profile from his current options. He can stretch a low block, but he can also help break it.

Rangers have already reshaped their attacking midfield options. The club sanctioned Thelo Aasgaard’s loan move to Anderlecht after the arrival of Kim Min-Su, who has been used primarily as a ‘number 10’ but can also operate from the left. Bouanani, comfortable both out wide and in a central role behind the striker, adds another layer of flexibility behind the lone ‘number 9’ in McInnes’ 4-2-3-1.

If the deal crosses the line before the window shuts, Rangers will have their second left-footed right-sided forward on the books and a genuine wildcard to throw into a title race that already threatens to run away from them. The question now is simple: can Bouanani turn potential into production quickly enough to change its course?