Rangers’ £3m Defender Praised By Ex-Man Utd Star: Is Another Signing Needed?

Rangers’ £3m Defender Praised By Ex-Man Utd Star: Is Another Signing Needed? Derek McInnes took charge at Ibrox in June after a summer overhaul that brought a new manager and heavy investment in defence, yet August threatened the early optimism. Rangers went out of the Europa League qualifiers, and doubts arrived almost immediately. The response has been emphatic and consistent. McInnes has built a run since that exit, placing the club firmly in the Scottish Premiership title race this autumn. It includes a 1-0 away win over Celtic in the Old Firm derby, and a 1-0 semi-final victory against Aberdeen has sent the Gers into the League Cup final against Hibernian. The defence anchors that recovery. McInnes treats his centre-backs as the foundation of structural security, demanding disciplined lines that absorb pressure before launching transitions cleanly. The summer business reflected that thinking, with the club adding the highly valued Emmanuel Fernandez and one other new centre-back to Ben Godfrey and John Souttar. The new pairing kept a clean sheet in the League Cup semi-final, and one of them won the September SPFL Player of the Month award. Those four form the depth chart, so McInnes needs them to cope with a congested winter schedule across the league and domestic cups. That award went to Olwethu Makhanya, the South African defender who joined from MLS side Philadelphia Union for £3 million. Former Manchester United and Atletico Madrid player Quinton Fortune has praised the deal, according to the Glasgow Times via Yahoo Sports. Fortune watched Makhanya in MLS and calls the switch a great move. He respects MLS but argues “European football is just a bigger stage”, expecting improvement. He called the Old Firm football at its most pressurised, and sees the transfer helping South African football reach the next level. “I watched Olwethu Makhanya a little bit when he was in MLS before, and his transfer to Rangers has been a great move for him. “It is unbelievable that he is able to play for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. But that’s what he had to do – go up another level. The MLS, with all due respect, is a great league, but European football is just a bigger stage. “He will improve there at Rangers, and he has already played in the Old Firm match. I mean, you couldn’t ask for a better experience in football. The Old Firm is football at its most pressurised. “Getting a move like this is all part of the process that will ultimately help to take South African football up to the next level.” How Makhanya suits McInnes’s system McInnes demands defensive resilience, aerial dominance and strict positional awareness, and Makhanya delivers just that with 26 aerial duels won, 14 tackles and 11 interceptions so far, with bravery suited to Scottish cross-and-clear football. Relative inexperience at the top European level and a high 637-pass volume carry some risk against aggressive pressing, though deep-lying defensive midfielders provide cover. His solidity also frees full-backs such as James Penrice to push high and stretch opponents. Should Rangers sign another centre-back in January? 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) No. The Fernandez-Makhanya pairing has built elite chemistry, and a back line producing title-challenging form needs protection, not tinkering. The real winter threat is fatigue and injury, so managing minutes matters more than adding bodies, and Godfrey and Souttar give McInnes credible rotation options. Another new signing would disturb squad harmony, bloat the wage bill and stunt the development of a £3 million investment still showing his ceiling. A title push rewards continuity. The board should spend its resources locking down permanent deals for key loanees rather than changing a working defence.