Caixinha tips Benfica loan ace to be an instant hit

PEDRO CAIXINHA has tipped wing king Dalcio to be a hit at Ibrox after sealing his move from Benfica.

The 21-year-old will be in Glasgow this term on the back of completing a loan move from the Portuguese cracks yesterday.

He is the third signing so far this summer as Carlos Pena looks set to become the fourth, and Gers boss Caixinha is delighted with his latest recruit.

Speaking about Dalcio, who has spent most of his time playing in the Benfica B team, he said: “I have followed him in Portugal. I am very close friends with his previous coach at Benfica B, Helder Cristovao who was a fantastic centre-half for Portugal and Benfica – so I know everything about the player.

“We are counting on him. Of course he needs all the support, especially in these early moments, because everything is new for him. But he is highly motivated to deliver and cope with this massive club.”

While Rangers already have options out wide in the form of Barrie McKay and potentially James Tavernier, Caixinha has been open about his intentions to deploy his new boy out on the flanks.

“He is a young Portuguese player from Benfica and the U21 national team and he has the characteristics to play from both wide areas,” said the Gers boss.

“He is left footed but he is comfortable playing on the right. He is the type of player who is comfortable in receiving the ball and he is aggressive attacking the defenders.

“He is aggressive looking for the one-v-one and looking for finishing and he can perform right or left.

“Last season he was also playing as an inside midfielder, so in a team who played in a 4-3-3 he was the midfielder who could perform as the inside left midfielder and he also did well there.

“He has the talent and reputation along with the will and desire to grow as a player and he can perform in several positions which is always good as a coach.

“I bring him here to play him more in the wide areas and more as a winger. If he plays on the left his style of play is different and his relationship with the full-back is also different.”