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Kevin Kelsy Travels for Rangers Medical as £9.5m Deal Moves Closer
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- Kevin Kelsy Travels for Rangers Medical as £9.5m Deal Moves Closer
(Reuters)
Kevin Kelsy has travelled to Europe to undergo a medical ahead of his proposed move to Rangers , although the £9.5m transfer is not yet complete. Nevertheless, the medical is the clearest sign yet that negotiations are nearing a conclusion.
MLS transfer reporter Tom Bogert revealed the latest development on Sunday afternoon, adding that the medical and 'a final detail or two' must still be resolved before the deal is done.
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Bogert first reported the clubs' £9.5m agreement earlier this week. An agreement between Rangers and Portland Timbers may be close, but the 22-year-old cannot yet be treated as an Ibrox player until those remaining checks and formalities are completed.
Rangers have not announced the signing, while Portland have not confirmed his departure. Kelsy's absence from Portland's squad against Austin FC on Saturday offered another strong indication that his departure was advancing.
He was left out entirely rather than merely starting on the bench. That removed any immediate playing risk, and the Venezuelan forward has now begun the journey required to bring a protracted pursuit towards its conclusion.
The reported package is worth approximately £9.5m, with performance-related add-ons and a sell-on clause also understood to be included. At that level, the deal is a major commitment from Rangers and places considerable expectations on Kelsy.
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Portland signed him from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2025. He then produced nine goals and four assists in MLS this season, recording 10 goals and five assists across all competitions by mid-August.
The striker will be the Gers' first Venezuelan male player and the second Venezuelan to play in the Scottish first division since the start of the Premiership era. At 22, he's also already made strides with the national team, earning six caps for the South American side.
Kelsy is physically imposing at 6 ft 4 in, and he arrives as a developing striker whose resale value could rise substantially if he translates his MLS production to Scotland . His potential arrival would give Derek McInnes a different option alongside Lawrence Shankland .
The Scotland international converted the decisive penalty in Sunday's 1-0 win over Aberdeen, yet the squad still needs greater depth after Youssef Chermiti suffered a serious knee injury.
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Rangers must nevertheless avoid looking beyond the final stages. Medical and contractual details are not ceremonial, particularly when a substantial fee is involved, and Bogert's update makes clear that work remains.
Kelsy is now closer to Ibrox than at any previous point, but the next meaningful development must be the successful completion and official confirmation. Until then, this is an advanced transfer rather than a finished one.
