After a disappointing season in the Scottish Premiership, which saw Rangers finishing in the third position after Celtic and Aberdeen, the historic Scottish side is looking to return with vengeance. The Teddy Bears finished below both their arch rivals, which is always unacceptable for the fans and manager Pedro Caixinha looks to have made a statement with their first signing of the summer.
As per reports, Rangers have reached an agreement with Portugal veteran Bruno Alves for £500,000 from Italian side Cagliari. The 35-year-old will bring chunks of experience to Rangers’ backline as they look to get back their stature of Scottish superpower again.
The historical side was sensationally banned from Europe for two years owing to misbehaviours of their fans, and although it was reduced to a year following an appeal; their bitter rivals, Celtic, have transformed themselves into an unstoppable superpower in their absence as was evident from their invincible season last term.
The Hoops were at the top in every department last season setting a bar Rangers would want to penetrate through Caixinha’s guidance. The midseason managerial change, following Mark Warburton’s controversial removal from the helm, helped little in Ranger’s comeback season but the arrival of Alves would definitely lift up their spirits.
The 35-year-old Portuguese international has played at the top level for many years against the fiercest of strikers and more than anything, Rangers get a great leader in the centre-half. The Euro 2016 winner brings a winning mentality to the side. To the club website, Alves said, “I have this feeling and this desire to win and I think to move here will bring this back to me and to my career. At almost all the clubs I have played for, I win and I expect to win here for the fans and for the club. I think I can do this here.”
He has been a regular at Serie A side Cagliari Calcio last season, playing 36 times and scoring one goal in the process. A terrific reader of the game, Alves will be the perfect role model for the likes of Danny Wilson, Rob Kiernan, David Bates and the rest. Alves is also a part of Portugal’s Confederations Cup squad, proving age is just a number for him.
An academy product of Portuguese giants FC Porto, he has spent loan stints with SC Farense, Vitória Guimarães SC and Greek side AEK Athens before securing a move to Russian side Zenit St. Petersburg, Fenerbahce and Cagliari. He will possibly end his career with the Scottish giants and hopes it to be a success.
