Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers bowed out of Europe last week.
Arthur Numan is hopeful that Rangers new boy Bruno Alves can be a tower of strength for the Gers following their “embarrassing” Europa League exit, speaking to The Scottish Sun.
Rangers bowed out of Europe’s secondary competition at the first hurdle after losing 2-1 on aggregate to Progres Niederkorn last week.
Alves, the first of nine signings by Pedro Caixinha this summer, was not invovled in either leg after helping Portugal in the Confederations Cup last month.
The 35-year-old defender has 93 caps for his country at international level and is comfortably Rangers’ most experienced player.
And Numan tells The Scottish Sun that the onus is on English-speaking Alves to help the Glasgow giants ensure that their European disappointment does not affect domestic duties.
“It’s embarrassing to lose to a team from Luxembourg,” he said. “The Euro defeat must have been a big shock for Caixinha, it is the worst result in the history of Rangers Football Club.
“But the important thing is to stay calm.Bruno Alves has a lot of experience and he can help the players — especially the younger ones.
“I believe he can speak English and that’s very important because he has to be able to communicate with the other players and express himself.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
