Nobody at Ibrox expected the noise to start this early. A £3m signing from Philadelphia Union, barely three months into his Rangers career, and suddenly scouts are queuing up to watch him play.
Fraser Fletcher of TEAMtalk reports that Brentford and Sunderland both sent representatives to the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock. Bologna have been monitoring him as well, while Sevilla lead a group of La Liga clubs keeping close tabs. A top Spanish scout told the outlet that his athleticism and calm work building from the back suit that league perfectly.
The man causing all this fuss is Olwethu Makhanya, a 22-year-old South African centre-back with four caps. He arrived on 30 July on a four-year deal with an option for a fifth, which ties him to Rangers until 2030. He’s quick, he’s tidy on the ball, and he’ll stride out of defence into midfield whenever the moment allows.
The numbers back it up. In the Scottish Premiership, he has played seven games and 540 minutes, making 24 clearances, seven tackles and seven interceptions, with 85.2 per cent passing accuracy. Rangers have kept four clean sheets in those matches. Across all competitions, he has 12 appearances, nine starts and two yellow cards. September brought the Premiership Player of the Month award, with two wins over Celtic along the way.
Before Scotland, he started all 17 games for Philadelphia in 2026, 13 in the MLS and four in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, scoring once. Five league yellows and a red show a defender who doesn’t shy away from contact. He also featured at this summer’s World Cup, which hardly hurts his profile.
Would he cope in England? Brentford like young defenders they can polish and sell on, and Sunderland want players comfortable with the ball. His passing would suit either. Neither side has approached, though.
Rangers aren’t flinching. The report says that the club feels no pressure to sell and would only listen to bids that reflect his sharp progress. Any serious move looks more realistic next summer, should his form hold.
Can McInnes resist next summer’s offers?
Yes, and he should, up to a point. Rangers paid £3m in July, and Premier League clubs routinely spend far more on young, proven centre-backs. My estimate is that a bid of £15m or more would start the conversation.
McInnes built his back line around a defender who steps in, wins duels and starts attacks. Losing that in January would hurt a side that’s beaten Celtic twice and kept four league clean sheets. No replacement of this quality arrives mid-season.
Summer is different. A fee like that would be a handsome profit, and the recruitment team would have months to find a successor. Brentford would offer a development path, Sunderland guaranteed minutes, Sevilla a possession-based style. Makhanya’s contract runs to 2030, so Rangers set the terms.
My view? McInnes keeps him through this season, chases silverware, and treats a bid above £15m as a serious discussion. Below that, the phone goes down.
