According to The Athletic, Rangers have agreed a deal with Portland Timbers to sign forward Kevin Kelsey.

The Scottish club will pay $13 million, approximately £9.5 million, plus performance bonuses for the Venezuela international, according to sources familiar with the negotiations who were not authorized to speak publicly. The deal will also include a sell-on clause for Portland Timbers.

According to sources, the 22-year-old Kelsey will travel to Glasgow to finalize terms, undergo a medical examination, and complete the transfer pending visa approval. He will become Rangers' second-most expensive signing on record, behind only Tore André Flo, who joined from Chelsea for £12 million in 2000.

Kelsey joined Portland Timbers from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2025 for a transfer fee just under $6 million and has scored 16 goals in 43 MLS appearances. Even after signing Vincent Janssen this summer, Portland Timbers are expected to remain active during the final week of the transfer window.

Kelsey could potentially move to the Premier League in the future

Kelsey is a tall, athletic, and prolific striker. His physical attributes are exceptional; he stands 6 feet 4 inches, is strong, and very quick. Throughout his career, he has shown flashes of brilliance but has lacked consistency. For young strikers, consistency is typically the hardest element to master, and he has made significant progress over recent months.

Kelsey's goal-scoring output has become more consistent thanks to improved off-the-ball movement in matches. He times his runs better and finds himself in dangerous goalscoring positions more frequently. He should score many goals for Rangers. With his physical attributes, he will soon have the opportunity to move to the Premier League or other top European leagues.

At this stage, Rangers have acquired a player who can score against strong teams and dominate weaker opponents. Portland Timbers hoped to retain Kelsey longer, particularly new head coach Matías Almeyda. However, as Rangers continued to increase their offer, eventually reaching $13 million plus add-ons and a sell-on clause, Portland Timbers had little choice.

Portland Timbers are already well-stocked at center-forward: they signed Vincent Janssen this summer, and Gage Glenn is also in the squad. Glenn is a reliable rotation option who can feature regularly. With Almeyda likely to deploy one center-forward, the team should have sufficient depth at the position even without further striker signings this summer.

In recent years, Portland Timbers have generated approximately $35 million from player sales, including $13 million for Kelsey, $12 million for Evander, $7 million for Santí Moreno, and $2 million for David Ayala.

Kelsey has long demonstrated promise and potential. In recent months, he has converted that potential into productivity at Portland Timbers, and European clubs monitoring him have now made their move.

Переведено ИИ.

Сайт AF теперь доступен! Читайте полные новости, комментарии, детали матчей и статистику на компьютере. Посетите: www.allfootballapp.com