OFFICIAL: Rangers complete ninth signing after Derek McInnes transfer plea

5 Aug 2026 11:31 BST |
4 min read

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Rangers have completed the signing of Japanese winger Daisuke Yokota from Bundesliga 2 side Hannover.

The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year deal at Ibrox Stadium, with the option to extend by a further year.

While Rangers say the fee is undisclosed, Fabrizio Romano understands the Scottish Premiership side will pay up to €4million (£3.4m) for Yokota.

Rangers will spend an initial €3.3m (£2.8m) on Yokota and potentially another €700,000 (£599,000) in add-ons, according to transfer insider Romano.

Yokota only joined Hannover on a permanent basis this summer after recording five goals and four assists during a loan spell with the club last season.

However, despite the forward’s best efforts, Hannover narrowly missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga, finishing fourth in Germany’s second tier.

Before Yokota’s arrival, Rangers had been linked with other wingers including Coventry City’s Jahnoah Markelo and Amario Cozier-Duberry of Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Gers had money available after Finland winger Oliver Antman joined Belgian outfit Anderlecht in a deal worth up to €4m (£3.4m) last week.

McInnes appealed for more signings after Dundee United draw

The signing of Yokota comes after manager Derek McInnes called for reinforcements following the 1-1 draw at Dundee United last Friday.

Theo Aasgaard scored a second-half equaliser as Rangers fought back from a goal down to earn a point in their opening match of the new Premiership season.

After the game, McInnes told reporters: “It’s those moments, it’s those kinds of quality signings along with the players improving that we’ve got in‑house that makes me really confident that we’re going to have a strong season.

“I know the evidence today would suggest we’ve still got loads and loads to do, and I get that, but I do think we have got enough to be encouraged about. But the new signings need to land pretty soon. I need to say that.

“Everybody’s worked hard to get the right players in, and I appreciate the effort that’s been made, but we’ve got important games, important league games, important European games, and we’re just really trying to crank that up to try and get players in the building as quickly as possible.”

Rangers have been busy in the summer transfer window, having now made nine additions to McInnes’ squad.

Goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, defenders Ross McCrorie and Olwethu Makhanya, midfielders Vanja Dragojevic, Dan Neil and Cammy Devlin and striker Lawrence Shankland have all arrived on permanent deals.

Defender Ben Godfrey has also joined on a season-long loan from Atalanta, though he will miss the next four weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Rangers return to action on Thursday when they head to Polish outfit Jagiellonia Bialystok in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League third-round qualifier.

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