Rangers are set to pay £9.5 million to sign Venezuelan international striker Kevin Kelsy from MLS side Portland Timbers, a move that caps an extraordinary journey involving a 500-mile trip hidden in a mining truck and surviving bomb attacks in Ukraine.
The 22-year-old's route to the top has been unconventional, with spells in his homeland, Uruguay and Shakhtar Donetsk. Earlier this year, Kelsy revealed the lengths he went to in order to reach the professional game.
Hiding in a truck to sign first contract
Kelsy was offered his first contract by Mineros de Guayana five years ago, but Venezuela was in the height of Covid lockdown and the government had banned all travel, which would have meant the deal collapsing. Instead, he found an innovative way to sign.
He recalled: "I was offered a contract at 16 and I had to get from my home town of Valencia in Venezuela to Mineros de Guayana while trying to avoid detection from authorities during a countrywide travel ban."
"But it was 500 miles away. We were banned from travelling so my agent and the Mineros president had an idea. That's why I ended up stuffing myself into a mining truck to travel the journey while trying to avoid detection from authorities."
"Thinking about it, yeah, the idea was crazy to be honest. I was so young, I only let myself be guided by my dreams, not thinking about the craziness of what I was doing. It was all for my dream, which was to be a professional athlete and to play in Europe."
War in Ukraine and move to MLS
Kelsy clinched his move to Europe three years ago after a spell in Uruguay with Boston River, but his time in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk was marred after the country's invasion by Russia.
He said: "It was my first experience outside of South America and a very drastic change. Both culturally and sporting."
"Air raid sirens became part of my life. There were times when I lived firsthand the attacks on the country, but also saw how Ukraine defended itself."
"I won't lie to you, I could see war drones up in the sky getting knocked down. They are moments that will forge you, mature you. Ultimately dreams are bigger than anything else, so I tried not to mind all those things the best I could."
What Rangers fans can expect
Kelsy was plucked from Ukraine by Portland Timbers, and the club's general manager, Ned Grabavoy, outlined the qualities Rangers fans can expect from their new recruit.
He said: "He's just a solid block of a man. His work ethic at times...it's almost like he's overworking. A big thing with him was to try and show him how to work efficiently, how to work within our group and how to work within our team."
"As he's opened up, he got more comfortable during his time here, he's starting to take direction and utilise it and maximise it to be the best version of himself on the pitch."
