Nils Koppen digs into old scouting book for Rangers transfer as Belgian lands star he's been 'aware of' for some time

Rangers have completed the signing of Feyenoord defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo on a season-long loan - with the Ibrox side having an option to buy the Dutchman next summer.

The versatile 22-year-old defender, who has represented the Netherlands at various youth levels, has agreed a move to the Glasgow giants after struggling to nail down regular first-team football at De Kuip.

Kasanwirjo began his career with fellow Eredivisie rivals Ajax before moving to FC Groningen. He signed for Feyenoord in January 2023 and spent last season on loan at Rapid Vienna in the Austrian Bundesliga. Standing at 6ft 1in, the right-sided stopper can also be deployed at right-back and has been assigned the number 24 shirt.

He becomes manager Philippe Clement’s tenth signing of the summer window, joining Jefté, Hamza Igamane, Oscar Cortes, Mohamed Diomande, Connor Barron, Liam Kelly, Clinton Nsiala, Robin Propper and Václav Černy in committing their future to the Gers.

Director of Football Recruitment Nils Koppen played an influential role in the deal. He stated: “I would like to welcome Neraysho to Rangers and we are delighted he has joined our squad. He is someone I was aware of from my time in the Netherlands and we believe he has the quality and the right character to play for this club. He is someone who can easily adapt to new surroundings and will bring great energy to the team.” Speaking to RangersTV after putting pen to paper, Kasanwirjo said: “I’m very excited to join the club and play for the fans. I spoke with the coach who had a good feeling, and the most important thing for me is to play and help the team as much as I can. Rangers is a really big and traditional club. There are a lot of memories and you need to win games. I want to win and bring the level of the team up, so it’s a good step for me.”

Gers boss Clement added: “We are thrilled to welcome Neraysho to the football club and we believe he will be a big asset to the team. He can play in a number of defensive positions and will be a good option for the squad with the domestic and European commitments we have this campaign. He is looking forward to starting the next chapter in his career and we are pleased Neraysho has decided to join Rangers.”