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Former Rangers custodian Cammy Bell has warned Kevin Kelsy that he ‘will have to step up’ in Lawrence Shankland’s absence, even if that is not ideal given the early stage of his Ibrox career.
Kelsy arrived at Ibrox from MLS outfit Portland Timbers and put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the club, with an option to extend further for a year.
The 22-year-old is a ‘physical, athletic striker’, and last term, he made 22 appearances in all competitions, contributing to 13 goals.
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Rangers signed him for a fee in the region of £9.5m, which could rise significantly due to several add-ons included in his contract.
Bell believes that as Rangers have spent a hefty amount to sign him this summer, it is only natural to think he will need to score important goals in the absence of Shankland, who picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend.
The former Rangers custodian feels that the need for Kelsy to step up so quickly is not ideal for the Gers, as they would have wanted to give me more time to adapt to the pace of Scottish football.
Bell said on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast: “You pay £9m for Kevin Kelsy, so you naturally think that he’s going to be the one that’s going to come in.
| Manager | Time at Club |
|---|---|
| Derek McInnes | June 2026– present |
| Danny Rohl | October 2025 – June 2026 |
| Russell Martin | June 2025 – October 2025 |
| Philippe Clement | October 2023 – February 2025 |
| Michael Beale | November 2022 – October 2023 |
“It’s not an ideal scenario for Derek McInnes and Rangers.
“They would have wanted to allow a little bit of time for Kelsey to find his feet in Scottish football and at Rangers. He’s not going to get that now.
“Shankland’s two goals against Falkirk were excellent, and he just started to find his rhythm.
“It offered the opportunity for [Ryan] Naderi to come on, and he grabbed that goal, but you think Kelsy is going to be the one that will have to step up to the plate and score important goals because you can’t rely on Shankland anymore.”
Kelsy recently made his debut for Rangers, coming off the bench in the 69th minute to replace Kim Min-su, in a 1-0 win over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.
Shankland came off early with a hamstring injury and it is unclear how serious the injury is and when he will make his return.
Naderi will be keen to get the vote ahead of Kelsy and it remains to be seen who McInnes will go with against St Mirren on Wednesday night.
