Rangers have completed the signing of South Korean winger Minsu Kim from Spanish club Girona for £8.5m, bolstering their attacking options ahead of the final week of the transfer window.
The 20-year-old has agreed an initial four-year contract with the Ibrox side, with the option to extend for a further 12 months. According to reports from South Korea, the fee represents activation of Kim's buyout clause, which had been valued at over €10 million by Girona earlier in the window.
This marks Rangers' 12th summer acquisition, with striker Kevin Kelsy expected to follow suit once the club's £9.2m agreement with Portland Timbers is finalised ahead of the September 3 transfer deadline.
Kim will not feature in Rangers' Conference League squad for tonight's play-off second leg against Jablonec, meaning he could make his competitive debut at Aberdeen on Sunday, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Rangers hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, contested at Ibrox on 20 August.
The winger joined Girona in 2022 and progressed through their academy structure before making his La Liga debut in October 2024. He subsequently appeared in the Champions League the following month. Last season, while on loan at La Liga 2 outfit Andorra, Kim scored six goals and registered four assists.
Kim expressed his enthusiasm about the move in a statement released by the club.
I'm so happy to sign for Rangers. I know it's a big club with great, great fans. 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.
Manager Derek McInnes welcomed the arrival, highlighting the strategic importance of strengthening the forward line.
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. 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's future uncertain as European interest mounts
In a significant development, McInnes has confirmed that midfielder Nicolas Raskin has not travelled with the squad to the Czech Republic for tonight's Conference League encounter due to escalating transfer speculation surrounding the Belgium international.
According to BBC Sport's coverage, interest in the 25-year-old has intensified over recent days, with clubs from multiple European leagues and England monitoring his availability. Earlier in the window, La Liga sides Atalanta and Real Betis had registered their interest, but the level of enquiry has now broadened to include teams in Spain, Italy, France and the English top flight.
Raskin remains under contract at Ibrox until 2026, giving Rangers a degree of control over any potential departure. McInnes addressed the situation candidly, explaining the decision to leave the midfielder in Glasgow rather than risk disruption during a crucial European tie.
Nico hasn't travelled. Nothing to do with injury or anything like that, just the potential of a transfer, potentially. 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.
When pressed on whether Rangers would pursue a replacement midfielder should Raskin depart, McInnes suggested the club's current depth in that area may provide sufficient cover. The manager has already added three midfielders during the summer transfer window, including recent arrivals Vanja Dragojevic from Partizan Belgrade and Kosta Nedeljkovic on loan from Aston Villa.
In certain areas of the pitch, we're a bit stronger than others. I think everything moves on. 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.
What comes next
Rangers face Jablonec in the Conference League play-off second leg on 27 August at 17:00 GMT, with qualification to the group stage at stake. Kim's arrival adds attacking firepower to McInnes' squad, though his immediate impact will depend on how quickly he integrates following his move from La Liga. The resolution of Raskin's situation remains fluid, with the September 3 deadline providing a final window for any departures or late additions to the squad.
