Rangers Sign Kosta Nedeljkovic on Loan from Aston Villa
Rangers have beaten off rival interest to land highly rated right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic from Aston Villa on a season-long loan, in a deal that is set up to become permanent.
The 20-year-old Serbian has joined with an obligation to buy inserted into the agreement, worth around £4m and dependent on the number of games he plays for Derek McInnes’ side this season. If he plays, Rangers pay – and the club clearly expect him to play a lot.
Talks, team-mates and a “big responsibility”
Nedeljkovic held talks with McInnes before committing to Ibrox and also leaned on a familiar voice in the dressing room: Serbia team-mate Vanja Dragojevic, who arrived earlier in the summer. Those conversations helped swing the decision in Rangers’ favour as other clubs circled.
Once the deal was done, Nedeljkovic made it clear he saw only one destination.
“I am very excited, Rangers is such a big club, a big family and I am excited to join and help the team have success together,” he said. “For me, it was an easy decision after meeting with the coach, I only wanted Rangers. It is a big opportunity and a big responsibility. I always try to be positive and work hard so I am ready to help the team.”
The message is simple: he knows the scale of the move, and he is not hiding from it.
From Belgrade to Leipzig to Villa – and now Ibrox
Nedeljkovic arrived at Aston Villa in January 2024 from Red Star Belgrade, one of European football’s most demanding environments. Game time in England, though, proved limited. He made 10 appearances for Villa and previously spent a season and a half on loan at RB Leipzig, picking up Bundesliga and European experience but never quite nailing down a permanent starting role.
Rangers now offer him what every young defender craves: a clear pathway to regular football at a club where every mistake is noticed and every tackle matters.
McInnes believes that environment will bring out the best in him.
“Kosta is a talented young player who we are really pleased to bring to the club,” the manager said. “He has already gained some valuable experience at a high level in England and Germany, as well as representing Serbia internationally. Kosta is an athletic and energetic full-back who is keen to get forward, but he also has a real desire to defend and compete and he will further strengthen a key area for us.
“I look forward to welcoming Kosta to Rangers, and working with him moving forward.”
An attacking full-back who relishes the defensive fight – exactly the profile McInnes has been chasing for his back line.
Eleven signings – and Rangers are not done yet
Nedeljkovic becomes Rangers’ 11th signing of a frantic summer, underlining the scale of the rebuild underway at Ibrox. The recruitment drive is not slowing.
Club chiefs are still actively searching for a new striker and a winger before the Scottish transfer window closes on September 3. Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy and Brighton youngster Amario Cozier-Duberry are among the names on the radar as Rangers look to sharpen their attack.
For now, though, the focus falls on the latest arrival. A 20-year-old right-back, a £4m obligation tied to his impact, and a manager who clearly trusts him. If Nedeljkovic seizes this chance, this could be the signing that quietly reshapes Rangers’ back line for years to come.
