The Scotland international goalkeeper admitted he never thought he would be back, but believes the experience he has gained in his time away has allowed him to improve as he looks to reach his highest level in Light Blues.
As a youngster, Kelly came through the Academy at Rangers spending 14 years at the club before moving to Livingston in 2018 in search of first-team action.
Speaking exclusively to RangersTV after signing the contract, he said: “I am a far better goalkeeper now than I was back when I left, and I am definitely better for that. I managed to accumulate a lot of games and I know the league really well now.
“I have shown that I can play at that level so I am really happy to be back and hopefully I can have a positive impact on the group. I have grown a lot as a person and as a player and hopefully that can be seen over the next couple of years.”
Facing Rangers a number of times last season, Kelly knows all about the goalkeeping department he is joining and hopes he can challenge Jack Butland this campaign.
He continued: “I want to train really well and try to push the goalkeepers that are already here. I am aware that Jack had an unbelievable season last year, having played against him I know that he is a top goalkeeper, probably the best goalkeeper in the league last year.
"Hopefully, my competition can challenge him and push him on even further and that'll bring benefits to the team and bring out the best in both of us.
“To be in that company will be really good and it will help improve me as a goalkeeper and I always want to improve.”
As well as training alongside Butland, Kelly is hoping he can share some of his experience with the younger goalkeepers, with 18-year-old Mason Munn penning a four-year deal with the club this week.
He continued: “I saw Mason Munn signed a new contract and obviously I know the feeling of signing a contract at 18 for Rangers after a youth cup win so hopefully, I can share my experiences.
"I know the feeling of being a youth goalkeeper at Rangers and trying to get into the first team and hopefully I will be able to share that.
Looking forward to getting in with the squad, Kelly continued: “I can't wait, it has been a long summer, we agreed to put it on hold until we got back from the Euros, but we are here now, and we are back.
“The team are already back in pre-season, so I am looking forward to it. It will be good to get started and meet everybody and see a few familiar faces again.”
