And so, yet another striker is set to enter the building at Ibrox, with Glasgow Rangers closing in on a deal for Venezuelan sensation, Kevin Kelsy.
The 22-year-old will be hoping to enjoy a more fruitful spell at the club than Derek McInnes‘ current pool of centre-forwards, with it saying it all that this is the fifth new number nine signed in 12 months.
Of course, the loss of Youssef Chermiti to injury has forced the Gers into the market again, but even the Portuguese had split opinion last season, his goals merely coming in bursts rather than on a consistent basis.
It’s not been a promising start for Lawrence Shankland in a Rangers shirt either, with it yet to be seen what the addition of Kelsy means for the skipper and his centre-forward colleagues.
How Kelsy compares to Rangers’ current strikers
A powerhouse, 6 foot 4 forward, there is likely to be real excitement surrounding what Kelsy can offer to McInnes’ side, with the club crying out for a prolific attacking figurehead following Chermiti’s ACL blow.
The former Everton man had led the way at Ibrox last season in terms of Premiership goals, scoring 15 times following an initial slow start, albeit while having not scored in Europe or in domestic cup competitions.
Chermiti’s 15 goals have come in 44 games in all competitions, while for Kelsy, the Portland Timbers man has hit 19 in 63 games for the MLS outfit.
In 2026, meanwhile, the South American has scored nine in 15 MLS starts, scoring at a rate of one every 140 minutes, while missing 12 ‘big chances’.
Chermiti’s 15 in 2025/26 came at a rate of one every 138 minutes, as he started 20 games, albeit with the 22-year-old missing 18 ‘big chances’ in total.
|
Chermiti (25/26) vs Kelsy (2026) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Chermiti |
Stat (*per game) |
Kelsy |
|
30 (20) |
Games (starts) |
20 (15) |
|
15 |
Goals |
9 |
|
132 |
Mins per goal |
140 |
|
19% |
Goal conversion |
20% |
|
18 |
Big chances missed |
11 |
|
5 |
Assists |
2 |
|
4 |
Big chances created |
4 |
|
0.7 |
Key passes* |
1.0 |
|
66% |
Pass accuracy* |
79% |
|
1.1 |
Succ. dribbles* |
0.4 |
The aforementioned Shankland, meanwhile, scored 16 in the league for Hearts last year, scoring at a rate of one every 156 minutes, while missing 11 ‘big chances’.
As for Ryan Naderi, the young German has only scored one Premiership goal this calendar year, after signing on deadline day in the winter, while Bojan Miovski has scored just seven league goals, falling firmly down the pecking order as things stand.
Perhaps, should Miovski move on before the deadline, Rangers could sign yet another striker, even with Kelsy in the door.
Could Rangers sign an instant upgrade on Kelsy?
With a £9m move for Kelsy seemingly near completion, it does feel a little implausible that a new striker would be signed, with so much upheaval in that department over the last 12 months or so.
Stranger things have happened, however, and with Kelsy likely to be a direct replacement for Chermiti, any movement regarding the likes of Miovski, who was attracting interest earlier this summer, could force the Gers back into the market again.
One option that has been mooted is Rodez AF star, Ibrahima Balde, with reports in Belgium indicating that the 23-year-old is a leading target for the Ibrox side.
There has been ‘no offer’ as yet, but the Frenchman is said to be ‘one to watch’, an intriguing development considering the ongoing pursuit of Kelsy.
Whether both men do end up in Glasgow remains to be seen, yet when looking at what Kelsy and Balde have produced of late, might the latter man actually be the better pick?
Just a year older than the Venezuelan, Balde has been in rampant form of late, already scoring four goals in the early weeks of the new Ligue 2 campaign.
A real sensation in France’s second tier, his record certainly stacks up well compared to what Kelsy has recorded in Portland, with Balde scoring 12 goals from just 21 league starts across 2025/26.
He scored at a rate of one every 153 minutes, while missing just 11 ‘big chances’. As for his goal conversion rate, that stood at 24%, ahead of Kelsy’s 2026 average of 20% in that regard.
In total, the former France U17 international has also bettered Kelsy’s record at Portland, scoring 24 goals in 68 games for his current side, having joined on a free transfer from Lens in 2024.
Since the start of 2024/25, he’s scored 23 league goals for Rodez, including his four already this season. For context, across his time in MLS so far, Kelsy has scored just 22 league goals since initially joining FC Cincinnati in 2024.
It does appear that Balde is the man in form, with there certainly merit in pursuing a move, should McIness and co wish to move on the likes of Miovski and Naderi before the deadline.
As harsh as that would be, neither man has really cut it during their time in Glasgow to date.
