Rangers Set to Sign Badredine Bouanani on Loan from Stuttgart
Rangers are closing in on Badredine Bouanani, with the Algerian winger undergoing a medical ahead of a season-long loan from VfB Stuttgart that carries an €18 million buy option, according to the Rangers Review. With only hours left in the window, an official announcement is expected unless late drama intervenes.
Born in Lille, the 21-year-old came through the ranks at LOSC Lille, progressing from the academy into the reserves during the 2021-22 campaign. He represented France at various youth levels before switching allegiance to Algeria in 2023 and has already collected five caps.
His club career has moved quickly. Bouanani walked away from Lille on a Bosman, crossing Ligue 1 to join Nice. He initially dipped in and out of the first team after a short spell with their youth side, then headed to Lorient on loan to taste more regular top-flight football. The breakthrough came last season: a stronger run of games in France prompted Stuttgart to pay €15 million to take him to the Bundesliga in the summer.
The step up, though, came with a ceiling. Bouanani made 28 appearances for Stuttgart across all competitions, but most of them came from the bench. Two goals and two assists told the story of a player used in flashes rather than trusted as a constant outlet. For a young winger who thrives on rhythm and repetition, it was never going to be enough.
That is where Rangers step in.
Derek McInnes has already watched a European campaign fall apart before it even began, with Rangers tumbling out of both the Europa League and Conference League qualifiers. The domestic picture offers no comfort yet either: Celtic have opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premiership after winning every league game so far.
Rangers have steadied themselves with back-to-back wins over Aberdeen and Falkirk, but the performances have not fully convinced. The front line still looks short on invention. Lawrence Shankland has rediscovered his scoring touch, yet the right flank remains unsettled. Findlay Curtis and Daisuke Yokota have both had opportunities, but neither has nailed down the position.
Bouanani walks straight into that gap.
He is quick off the mark, sharp with the ball at his feet and comfortable operating in crowded areas. He likes to isolate full-backs, take them on one-versus-one, then either dart inside onto his left foot or drive to the byline. Those cut-inside runs, whipped crosses and the calm he shows in the final third offer exactly the kind of variety Rangers have been missing on the right.
The move also fits the wider reshaping of McInnes’ attacking options. The club have allowed Thelo Aasgaard to head to Anderlecht on loan after bringing in Kim Min-Su, who has been used primarily as a number 10 but can drift to the left. Bouanani, while naturally a right-sided forward, is also comfortable operating centrally behind the striker.
That versatility should be crucial in McInnes’ 4-2-3-1. With a lone number 9 ahead of him, the Algerian can start wide, roll into pockets between the lines, or swap lanes with Kim Min-Su to drag defenders out of shape. It gives Rangers something they have lacked so far this season: genuine flexibility in and around the box.
For Stuttgart, it is a chance to protect their €15 million investment by giving a talented but underused winger a platform. For Bouanani, it is the opportunity he has been waiting for — regular minutes, a demanding crowd and a title race that leaves no room to hide.
For Rangers, with Celtic already disappearing over the horizon, it might be the injection of pace and unpredictability they need to keep this season alive.
