Rangers Legend Sends Clear Message On £3m Defender: Should McInnes Reject January Bids?

Rangers Legend Sends Clear Message On £3m Defender: Should McInnes Reject January Bids? Rangers have given their fans reasons for optimism under Derek McInnes, with domestic results providing a welcome response to their disappointing European campaign. They sit second in the Premiership, having conceded nine goals in 11 league matches, and their defensive stability has become a major part of that recovery. Beating Celtic 3-0 in the League Cup quarter-final before claiming a 1-0 league victory against their rivals strengthened McInnes’ position. Rangers then defeated Aberdeen 1-0 on 31 October to reach the League Cup final, keeping another domestic trophy within reach. Olwethu Makhanya has played an important role in that defensive progress. Rangers paid Philadelphia Union £3 million for the 22-year-old South African, whose ability to cover centre-back and left-back gives McInnes valuable flexibility. Being 6ft 2in, he possesses the aerial strength and the composure required to start attacks from the back. Across 900 Premiership minutes this season, Makhanya has earned a 7.55 FotMob rating. He wins nearly 70 per cent of aerial duels and boasts an 83 per cent tackling success rate. His late equaliser in the 2-2 draw against Hearts on 28 October offered another reminder of his contribution beyond defensive duties. That form has attracted attention, but Rangers have little reason to rush into a sale. The Herald reports that club legend Ally McCoist has urged Makhanya to remain at Ibrox. Speaking to talkSPORT Bet Online Casino, McCoist backed Pat Nevin’s assessment and advised the defender to keep earning praise before considering another move. “Pat Nevin generally talks an awful lot of sense, and he’s spot on here. I don’t think Makhanya should be in any rush to go anywhere. “He’s had a very good start, though the weekend was maybe a little reminder that you don’t get any easy games and you’re a target. “So, from that point of view, there’s no doubt that with the way he’s started, there will be clubs looking at him. “But I would be advising him to stay for a while, get the job done, keep getting rave reports, and see where it takes him.” He added: “I don’t think anything has changed. I think Rangers have got to set out right now to win every domestic trophy they can. “You have to be looking to win the league title, that is the most important one at the start of the season for a team like Rangers. “The Cups I always say are a more than achievable bonus, but you’ve got to get the league title. “That is still the priority for me looking at it, and the priority for most Rangers fans right now.” Should Rangers reject January bids for Makhanya? GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 09: Olwethu Makhanya of Rangers is seen during the William Hill Premiership 2026/27 match between Glasgow Rangers and St. Mirren at Ibrox Stadium on September 09, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images) Absolutely. McInnes has built a dependable partnership around Makhanya and Emmanuel Fernandez, while John Souttar and loan signing Ben Godfrey provide additional cover. Selling a key defender midway through a title challenge would leave Rangers searching for a replacement in a difficult market, with the League Cup final and league run-in approaching. Makhanya’s contract runs until 2030, giving Rangers a strong negotiating position without any immediate pressure to cash in. The £3 million investment could eventually deliver a substantial return, but selling now would sacrifice something more valuable than money, and that is defensive stability during a genuine opportunity to win silverware. English interest can wait. Rangers need their best defenders available when the trophies are decided.