Rangers reshape squad on double deadline: Kim Min-su closing in, Raskin eyed by Fenerbahce
Rangers are closing in on their 12th signing of a frantic summer rebuild, with South Korean winger Kim Min-su expected in Glasgow for a medical ahead of a move from Girona reported to be worth around £8.5 million (BBC Sport; Newsletter.co.uk).
The 20-year-old wide player — a position Rangers have prioritised this window — would become the latest arrival in an overhaul that has touched nearly every area of the squad. Twelve signings in one summer is a lot for any club, let alone one trying to juggle domestic ambitions with a European campaign that is already underway.
And Europe is exactly where the complication lies. Rangers travelled to face Jablonec in the second leg of their Conference League play-off — the tie that decides whether they reach the group stage of UEFA's third-tier competition — carrying a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg (BBC Sport). The Conference League may sit below the Champions League and Europa League in prestige, but the group-stage place it offers brings fixture congestion, a wider audience, and meaningful revenue for a club outside Europe's elite leagues.
One notable absentee from the travelling squad was Nicolas Raskin. The 25-year-old Belgium international trained on the morning of the match but was left back in Glasgow (BBC Sport). Raskin has been linked with a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce, and his absence from a decisive European fixture will only intensify speculation that his future lies away from Ibrox.
For Kim Min-su, the transfer involves a hurdle beyond the usual fee-and-medical routine. South Korean men face compulsory military service, and the winger's move carries the question of whether he can secure an exemption. Two routes to exemption exist — typically tied to achieving sporting milestones on the international stage — and navigating that process forms part of the broader picture around the deal (Daily Record).
What makes this window stand out is the sheer volume of change at Rangers. A dozen new players means a near-total refresh of the dressing room, and integrating that many newcomers — different languages, playing styles, and temperaments — is a task that falls squarely on the manager's shoulders. The Conference League play-off against Jablonec, tight at 1-0, is not the comfortable platform a rebuilding side would choose.
For Rangers supporters, the next few days carry a double edge. One more signing signals serious intent; losing a Belgium international to Fenerbahce would test the squad's depth just as European football reaches its threshold. Either way, the window closes and the football starts answering the only question that matters: can all these new faces play together?
