Bafana Bafana Star Set for R75 Million Transfer Move to European Club This Summer
- Olwethu Makhanya is on the verge of leaving MLS side Philadelphia Union for a move to a European club this summer
- The European side reportedly agreed to a fee of around R75 million to sign the 22-year-old South African international
- The move would mark Makhanya's first appearance on the European stage after starring in the United States of America
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Bafana Bafana centre-back Olwethu Makhanya is set to make the move to European football, with Scottish Premiership side Rangers FC closing in on a deal worth approximately R75 million ($4.5 million) to bring the 22-year-old to Ibrox.
According to The Athletic, the Glasgow club has agreed terms with Major League Soccer outfit Philadelphia Union and is poised to tie Makhanya down on a four-year contract. The transfer would mark one of the most significant moves by a young South African defender in recent memory.
Makhanya's journey to European football
The Durban-born defender began his professional development at Marumo Gallants' DStv Diski Challenge side before earning senior recognition with Stellenbosch FC, where his performances during the 2022/23 Betway Premiership campaign drew widespread attention.
That season, he received a nomination for South African Young Footballer of the Year and claimed the Nedbank Cup Most Promising Player award.
Those displays were enough to attract Philadelphia Union, who signed Makhanya in July 2023 as the club's first-ever Under-22 Initiative recruit. Over the next two years, he went on to accumulate more than 40 appearances for the American side and played a notable role in their 2025 MLS Supporters' Shield campaign.
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His consistent form in the United States also earned him selection to Hugo Broos' squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, though he did not feature in any of Bafana Bafana's four matches at the tournament.
Rangers strengthen their defensive options
Philadelphia Union had reportedly rebuffed as many as four separate approaches for Makhanya, with offers reportedly reaching as high as R65 million before Rangers submitted a bid that succeeded.
The Scottish club, under manager Derek McInnes, is actively reshaping its defensive unit, and the South African's arrival would make him the eighth summer signing at Ibrox.
Makhanya is regarded as a technically composed defender with strong positional instincts and the ability to operate across multiple positions along the backline.
His profile fits Rangers' recruitment approach as the club seeks athletic talent with technical potential ahead of the new European season.
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Source: Briefly News
