We won’t stand in Fab’s way
VITORIA SETUBAL boss Jose Couceiro last night admitted he is powerless to prevent Rangers sealing a £1 million deal for Fabio Cardoso. The Portuguse boss is resigned to losing his talented centre-back to Ibrox if Light Blues chiefs choose to push through a transfer. Ibrox manager Pedro Caixinha has targeted Cardoso for his summer rebuild and Couciero has confessed that a sevenfigure sum and the lure of the move will make it impossible for him to keep his stopper. The 23-year-old has been at Setubal for just one season after moving from the second team at Benfica but Couceiro said: “I want to keep Fabio, of course. But my team is not as big and strong as Glasgow Rangers. “We are a middle team in Portugal and we don’t have power. If Rangers want a player of Vitoria, we do not have the power to prevent it or to keep this guy. “Obviously, he is one of my best players and I want him to stay. “To make a good team you need good players always but this is life. I understand. If Fabio is wanted by Rangers of course it is good for him.” Couciero is a friend of Caixinha but admitted the pair have had no contact over the switch. He added: “I know Pedro. He is a good guy and a good coach. He didn’t call me. He didn’t need to. He knows the player very well.” Caixinha has several irons in the fire with Aberdeen’s Ryan Jack and Cardoso’s countryman Bruno Alves on his radar as he looks to make changes to a squad which lost it’s way under ex-boss Mark Warburton.