Olwethu Makhanya's Rangers Journey: Visa Drama and Debut Expectations

Olwethu Makhanya has been at Ibrox barely a week and he’s already lived through the full Rangers experience: excitement, red tape, panic, and reassurance – all before kicking a ball.

The South African defender arrived from Philadelphia Union in a £3 million deal, billed as a powerful, front-foot centre-half ready-made for the demands of Glasgow and European football. His debut didn’t come in the 1-1 draw at Dundee United as the Scottish Premiership season opened, but the Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Bialystok looked tailor-made as his stage.

Then came the noise.

Visa drama, again – but a late twist

Makhanya’s early days in Scotland have been dominated not by tactics or training-ground battles, but by paperwork. Initial visa issues delayed his integration, with doubts swirling until MP Dr Zubir Ahmed intervened to help push the process through.

Just as Rangers fans began to relax, another jolt: the new signing was not on the flight to Poland for the first leg of the Europa League tie. Social media did the rest. With the club already light at centre-back, concern quickly turned to full-blown anxiety.

The context made it worse. Ben Godfrey limped off at Tannadice and is now out for around four weeks, leaving Emmanuel Fernandez as the only fully established senior central defender available. For Derek McInnes, that is not a selection headache. It’s a problem.

This should have been the ideal moment to unleash Makhanya. Instead, supporters were left tracking flight manifests and grainy airport photos.

Then came a calmer voice. Fan outlet Four Lads Had A Dream moved to cool the temperature, explaining that Makhanya had travelled to London, not Poland, to finalise his visa approval. The plan is for him to link up with the squad in Poland once that process is complete.

The key detail for Rangers: he is expected to be available to make his debut against Jagiellonia. So too is fellow new signing Daisuke Yokota.

The panic can ease. The need for him cannot.

McInnes searching for first win – and stability

McInnes walked away from Tannadice frustrated but not alarmed. The 1-1 draw felt like a team still learning each other’s runs, movements, and habits, a new group wrestling with new ideas rather than one short on quality.

He knows, though, that Rangers cannot live on explanations. They need a first competitive win, and quickly. Europe is no place for a slow start.

Certain pillars of the side are likely to remain untouched. Lawrence Shankland should again lead the line, Thelo Aasgaard is expected to keep his place, and Ivor Pandur, Tuur Rommens and Fernandez all look set to retain their spots after the Dundee United outing.

After that, the team sheet opens up.

McInnes has decisions to make across the pitch. Vanja Dragojevic is pushing hard for a debut in goal, one of potentially two first starts on the night. Youssef Chermiti and Dan Neil are also in the frame to come in from the start, while Yokota offers a fresh attacking dimension that could tempt the manager to roll the dice.

And then there is Makhanya.

Thrown in at the deep end?

If the paperwork clears as expected, the 20-year-old could find himself stepping into a European tie as his first Rangers appearance. No gentle introduction, no late cameo at Ibrox with the game already won. Poland, a hostile atmosphere, and a Jagiellonia side with a clear physical edge.

Rangers know what’s coming. This won’t be a technical sparring match. It will be combative, direct, and unforgiving. Exactly the kind of contest where a dominant, aggressive centre-half can change the tone of a night.

Makhanya built his reputation on that side of the game. He relishes duels, attacks the ball, and doesn’t shy away from contact. If McInnes trusts him from the first whistle, the South African will not be eased into this team – he’ll be hurled straight into the storm.

Given the circumstances, that might suit everyone. Rangers need presence at the back. They need someone who can enjoy the fight as much as the football.

For a club already leaning on him before his debut, Makhanya’s first steps in a blue shirt may not just be about filling a gap. They might set the tone for how this new-look Rangers side intends to handle the pressure of a season that has barely begun.