Rangers have completed the signing of Japanese winger Daisuke Yokota from Hannover 96 for an initial fee of £2.75m plus add-ons. The 26-year-old signed a three-year contract with an option for an additional 12 months, becoming Derek McInnes’s ninth summer signing ahead of upcoming Europa League qualifiers.
The Ibrox club moved decisively to bolster their attacking options after a sluggish start to the domestic campaign. Manager Derek McInnes made a public appeal for more wide players following the departures of Oliver Antman and Nedim Bajrami, and the subsequent 1-1 draw against Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership opener.
Behind the Transfer: Financial Terms and German Negotiations
The permanent transfer carries an initial guaranteed fee of £2.75m, with performance-related clauses and add-ons capable of pushing the total transaction value higher according to sports reporting. German coverage noted that the fixed fee is structured around 3,25 Millionen plus mögliche Boni in Höhe von einer Million Euro, alongside a sell-on clause for the German second-tier club.
Hannover secured a substantial financial return after only recently acquiring the player permanently from Belgian side KAA Gent for 1,4 Mio. Newly promoted Bundesliga side Paderborn also pursued the winger, submitting proposals.
Friction in Lower Saxony and Yokota’s Path to Glasgow
Securing the player required navigating significant tension between the winger and his former club. Regional German reporting detailed that Yokota, viewing himself strictly as a top-flight player, lodged a transfer request through his agent and refused to participate in first-team training sessions since mid-July while citing knee issues.
That friction cleared the path for an accelerated exit. Yokota started his career in Tokyo before moving to Germany as an 18-year-old, where he spent time in the academies of FSV Frankfurt and FC Carl Zeiss Jena. Stints in Latvia with Valmiera—where he won a championship title in 2022—and in Poland with Górnik Zabrze preceded his move to Gent in 2024. After a loan spell in Germany, he caught the eye with five goals and four assists in the German second division last season.
Squad Impact and Immediate European Stakes
For Derek McInnes, the arrival provides a natural right winger capable of operating in the final third. At 26, he has gained valuable experience across a number of different leagues in Europe. He is quick, direct and has the ability to make things happen in the final third,
the manager stated regarding the club’s ninth summer arrival in an official announcement.
“I’m really excited to be joining Rangers. This is a massive club with a fantastic history, passionate supporters and high ambitions, so it’s a proud moment for me.”
Daisuke Yokota, Winger
Yokota’s immediate availability depends on administrative deadlines. Rangers must submit their squad list for the upcoming UEFA Europa League third-round qualifier against Jagiellonia Białystok within the regulatory window before kick-off.
Transfer Window Plans Beyond the New Winger
Despite completing the deal, recruitment at Auchenhowie remains active. McInnes continues to pursue further reinforcements to bolster the squad, with targets including another winger, a central defender, and a left-back. Club hierarchy previously tabled an unsuccessful bid for Fares Gherdjemis, while Fenerbahçe’s Oğuz Aydin remains another potential target as the transfer window progresses.
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