Olwethu Makhanya’s transfer value rises to €14.3m after Rangers start

Olwethu Makhanya’s transfer value has increased to €14.3m following an impressive start to life with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

The 22-year-old Bafana Bafana defender moved to the Scottish club from Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union in a deal estimated at €3.5m.

According to the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), that fee could prove to be a significant bargain for Rangers, with Makhanya’s valuation having risen sharply since his transfer.

Makhanya has made 12 appearances for Rangers and was named Scottish Premiership Player of the Month for September.

His current valuation is detailed in the 554th edition of the CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post, which ranks the 10 most valuable players in each league across 55 competitions outside Europe’s big-five leagues.

CIES, the Switzerland-based football research organisation, values Makhanya at €14.3m. That is equivalent to R264m and represents more than four times the amount Rangers are believed to have paid for him.

The defender’s performances have also reportedly attracted attention from clubs in Europe’s five leading leagues. There are rumours that some of those sides could make an approach for Makhanya during the January transfer window.