Rangers FC are reportedly weighing a move for Philadelphia Union center-back Olwethu Makhanya, adding the Scottish giants to what’s becoming a crowded line of European clubs circling one of MLS’s most promising young defenders.
Here’s the thing about Makhanya’s situation: Philadelphia Union aren’t exactly in a rush to let him go. The club exercised his contract option in November 2025, locking him down through 2027, and they’ve already rejected at least one European bid they considered too low.
A Belgian bid already turned away
In June 2026, Philadelphia turned down a transfer offer from a top Belgian club for Makhanya. The Union’s position was straightforward: the bid undervalued their player.
Interest has reportedly come from clubs across England, Germany, France, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Rangers represent the Scottish contingent of that pursuit, but they’re hardly alone in the queue. For a player born on April 30, 2004, who only arrived in MLS as a U-22 Initiative signing in July 2023, the breadth of attention is remarkable.
