Derek McInnes Turns to £17.5m Rangers Duo as Boss Reveals What He Needs
Rangers boss Derek McInnes has called on two new signings to save the club’s season after a humiliating European exit — with the under-fire manager revealing he “cannot accept” the level of performance that saw the Ibrox side crash out of all European competition for the first time since 2017 .
The Crisis That Demands Answers
Rangers have hit rock bottom.
The Ibrox side were dumped out of the Conference League play-off by Czech underdogs Jablonec, losing 4-3 on penalties after a 1-0 defeat in the second leg . It means Rangers will not play European football beyond August for the first time since 2017 .
The stats paint a damning picture. Rangers had just over 46% possession during the 120 minutes in the Czech Republic and mustered only one shot on target . They won fewer than 70% of their 16 tackles and committed 17 fouls .
And McInnes is furious.
“I can’t accept, and we shouldn’t accept, losing individual battles, duels, second balls, not winning enough tackles and just getting the momentum of the game going our way,” the manager said .
“I thought we looked young, inexperienced at times. We’re trying to make some signings to help with that side of it but we need to do so much more as a team.”
The £17.5m Duo: McInnes’s Last Chance Salvation
With the transfer window closing on September 1, McInnes has turned to two new signings to rescue Rangers’ season .
Kevin Kelsy — the 6ft 4in Venezuela international striker — is set to arrive from Portland Timbers in a deal worth £9.5 million plus add-ons . The 22-year-old will become the second-most expensive signing in Rangers history after Tore Andre Flo .
Kim Min-su — the 20-year-old winger — is joining from Girona for £8.5 million and has already been handed the iconic No.10 shirt .
Combined, the two signings represent a £17.5 million investment that McInnes hopes will transform his struggling side.
McInnes has made it clear where the blame lies for Rangers’ current predicament. He told Sky Sports News: “I’m not the first Rangers manager to get off to a tough start, but we are determined to follow this job through and it’s the end that counts” .
“I’d like to think I know what I’m doing as a manager. I’m a good manager, I back myself.”
But he also admitted the pressure is mounting: “At the minute, none of us are doing our job well enough and it’s up to us to try and share that responsibility to improve things” .
The Euro Exit That Changes Everything
Rangers’ European humiliation has been described as one of the worst results in the club’s recent history .
Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday was scathing: “Rangers had no style, no desire, no movement, no tackles, no shots, no control. They offered absolutely nothing over 120 minutes” .
Halliday added: “I think of Kaunas, Progres Niederkorn – that’s up there with those defeats. This is one of the worst results in Rangers’ recent history” .
BBC Scotland chief sportswriter Tom English described the performance as “passive” with “no get up and go” .
The Squad Imbalance
Former Rangers star Andy Halliday has condemned the club’s transfer dealings as “gross mismanagement” .
The squad remains dangerously imbalanced despite 12 new signings this summer. Halliday said on Sky Sports: “A gross level of mismanagement. At any football club, if you’ve signed 27 players in the space of 12 months, then you’ve got so many decisions wrong” .
“The balance of Rangers’ squad at this moment in time, it’s quite incredible that they’ve allowed this to take place. Only one left-back in the door, three centre-halves, only two wingers and a whole host of central midfield players that all fit the same profile” .
What’s at Stake for McInnes
Former Rangers midfielder Scott Allan has warned that McInnes is now “in a really precarious position” .
When you look at the performance, it is nowhere near good enough,” Allan said. “The manager literally said himself the team doesn’t know what it is. And ultimately that falls on Derek McInnes and what they’re doing on the training pitch” .
McInnes has won just two of his first seven games and sits five points behind Celtic already .
The manager has backed himself to turn things around: “I still believe we’re going to be a success here, but we need to try and give a bit more encouragement to the supporters to buy into and get behind” .
The Verdict
Rangers’ season is hanging by a thread. McInnes has been left “mortified” and “embarrassed” by the European humiliation .
But two new signings could be his salvation. Kevin Kelsy (£9.5m) and Kim Min-su (£8.5m) represent a £17.5m gamble that McInnes hopes will transform his struggling side.
The manager has accepted the blame — but the pressure is mounting. With Aberdeen up next at Pittodrie, McInnes knows he must deliver.
Former Rangers striker Steven Thompson warned: “They need better quality on the pitch — and they need a gameplan” .
Rangers face Aberdeen on Sunday. Pittodrie is not a happy hunting ground for the Ibrox side . Another defeat could be catastrophic.
One thing is certain: McInnes is desperate. Rangers are in crisis. And the £17.5m duo is his last chance salvation.