Rangers' £9.5m signing now faces a test after Lawrence Shankland 's hamstring injury, which forced the captain off in Saturday's 1-0 win over Motherwell. Cammy Bell says Kevin Kelsy must step up even though manager Derek McInnes would have preferred to give the 22-year-old time to settle in Scottish football. Bell made the comments on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, as reported by Inside Futbol .
Shankland had just found his scoring rhythm, hitting two goals in the 2-1 victory at Falkirk. Ryan Naderi replaced him against Motherwell and scored the winner, yet Bell expects Kelsy to become the option for key goals because Rangers can no longer rely on Shankland.
"It's not an ideal scenario for Derek McInnes and Rangers.
"They would have wanted to allow a little bit of time for Kelsey to find his feet in Scottish football and at Rangers. He's not going to get that now.
"Shankland's two goals against Falkirk were excellent, and he just started to find his rhythm.
"It offered the opportunity for [Ryan] Naderi to come on, and he grabbed that goal, but you think Kelsy is going to be the one who will have to step up to the plate and score important goals because you can't rely on Shankland anymore."
Kelsy arrived from Portland Timbers on a four-year contract after a reported £9.5m transfer, contributing 13 goals across 22 appearances. His debut came as a 69th-minute substitute for Kim Min-su, setting up a contest with Naderi for Wednesday's starting berth against St Mirren.
PORTLAND, OREGON – AUGUST 19: Kevin Kelsy #19 of Portland Timbers is challenged by Ian Murphy #32 of San Diego FC during the first half at Providence Park on August 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
McInnes should resist any urge to turn Kelsy into a copy of Shankland. A better route involves a 3-4-2-1, with the Venezuelan acting as a focal point who can receive into his body, bring centre-backs into duels and lay the ball off to runners. That role suits his physical strength and aerial ability far better than asking him to drift deep and create in the same areas Shankland occupied.
Once Kelsy pins a defender, Kim Min-su and the other inside forward should sprint beyond him instead of waiting square for another pass. That movement can turn Kelsy's hold-up play into immediate box entries, giving Rangers a clearer route from central battles to chances.
Portland gave Kelsy success through crossing patterns, so Rangers should send earlier, whipped deliveries instead of recycling possession for too long. Full-backs can attack the spaces around the penalty spot while Kelsy fights the centre-backs, creating direct service that suits his profile.
There's a sensible rotation plan, too. Naderi can bring fresh legs and more pressing intensity after 65 minutes, protecting a young striker from the physical demands of every match while keeping pressure on tired defenders. Kelsy then concentrates on finishing moves, winning duels and attacking aerial balls rather than carrying every creative burden.
Rangers paid heavily for that skill set, and asking him to play simpler, more direct football could help him deliver before Scottish football has fully slowed down for him. That approach gives Rangers a defined job for Kelsy from his first start.
