Rangers complete signing of Hannover winger Daisuke Yokota

Rangers have officially completed the signing of Japanese winger Daisuke Yokota from Hannover. The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year contract, with the option of a further season, and becomes the Scottish club's ninth summer arrival. Yokota's route to Glasgow has been well traveled. He first moved to Germany as a teenager, coming through the ranks at Eintracht Frankfurt and Carl Zeiss Jena, then picked up senior experience with Valmiera in Latvia and Górnik Zabrze in Poland. Gent came next in 2024, but after a difficult spell he was loaned out to Kaiserslautern and then Hannover. The German side made the move permanent at the start of this summer, paying €2m to Gent after Yokota impressed with five goals and four assists. The winger made no secret of his delight at joining Rangers. "I am really happy to sign for Rangers. It is a huge club with a fantastic history, passionate supporters and high ambitions, so I am proud of this moment. My aim is to help the team succeed this season and hopefully we can create special memories together," he told the club's media. Yokota is expected to strengthen Rangers' wide options. Last season those roles were mostly filled by Jaydi Hassama and Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore, who has since returned to London. Findlay Curtis, back from a loan at Kilmarnock, replaced Hassama in Friday's 1-1 league opener against Dundee United. Manager Derek McInnes believes Yokota has the right profile, describing him as quick, direct and capable of delivering in the final third. The move is still subject to international clearance and a work permit, and Rangers have not confirmed whether the paperwork will be completed before Thursday. That is when they face Jagiellonia Białystok in Poland in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie.