Rangers Sign Minsu Kim for £8.5m as Summer Rebuild Continues

Rangers have made their move. Again.

The Ibrox club have completed the £8.5m signing of winger Minsu Kim from Girona, handing the 20-year-old a four-year deal with an option for a further year as Derek McInnes continues an aggressive summer rebuild.

Kim becomes Rangers’ 12th arrival of a frantic window, with striker Kevin Kelsy expected to follow after a £9.2m fee was agreed with Portland Timbers ahead of the September 3 deadline. The squad is being reshaped at speed – and at significant cost.

A new wide threat

Kim, a South Korea international, will not feature in Thursday night’s Europa Conference League play-off second leg against Jablonec, having been left out of the competition squad. His first chance to pull on a Rangers shirt should come at Pittodrie on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, in what would be a high-profile debut away to Aberdeen.

He arrives with a quietly impressive résumé for his age. Signed by Girona in 2022, Kim first caught the eye with their B team before breaking into the senior side, making his La Liga debut in October 2024 and then stepping onto the Champions League stage the following month.

Last season he went on loan to Andorra in La Liga 2, where he scored six goals and provided four assists. Not headline-grabbing numbers, but enough to convince Rangers he can inject pace, direct running and end product into their forward line.

Kim spoke with the enthusiasm of a player who knows the size of the stage he has just walked onto.

"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, who has made no secret of his desire to add more attacking options, believes he has secured a player with both immediate impact and long-term upside.

"We are delighted to welcome Minsu to Rangers," the manager said. "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.

"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 interest grows

While one player walks through the door, another may be edging towards it.

Nicolas Raskin has not travelled to the Czech Republic for the second leg against Jablonec, with McInnes confirming the midfielder’s absence is down to increasing transfer interest rather than injury.

Sky Sports News reported earlier in the week that clubs across Europe and England are tracking the Belgium international, with Atalanta and Real Betis among those to have shown interest earlier in the window. Now, the level of attention has risen again.

It is understood teams from Spain, Italy, France and England are all considering a move for the 25-year-old, who still has two years left on his contract at Ibrox.

McInnes laid out the situation in blunt terms.

"Nico hasn't travelled. Nothing to do with injury or anything like that, just the potential of a transfer, potentially," he said. "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 from the first leg against Jablonec as they chase a place in the Conference League group stage. Leaving a key midfielder at home at this stage of the qualifiers underlines just how real the prospect of a sale has become.

Asked if Raskin’s departure would trigger a move for yet another midfielder – with three already signed in that area this summer – McInnes kept his cards close.

"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 at a crossroads typical of a modern supercharged window: big money spent on fresh attacking talent, serious interest in a saleable midfield asset, and a European tie delicately poised.

Kim’s arrival adds spark. What happens with Raskin could define the balance of this new-look Rangers by the time the window slams shut.