Daniel Candeias shone as Rangers drew 1-1 with Marseille in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Pedro Caixinha had a right to be enthused by Rangers’ performance in their 1-1 draw with Marseille on Saturday. After all, the early stages of the new campaign have been dogged by humiliation, first that Europa League qualifying defeat to the fourth best team in Luxembourg then the defensive horror show that gifted St Johnstone a pre-season victory last week.
However, with the majority of their new signings on show, Rangers delivered a much improved performance against the Ligue 1 giants, Niko Kranjcar cancelling out Valere Germain’s opener with a cracker of a free-kick.
Caixinha was impressed by Rangers’ display
Yet it was the performance of Daniel Candeias that caught the eye. The Portuguese winger, a shock signing from Benfica, shone on the right hand side, offering fans a tantalising glimpse of the quality he promises to bring to Ibrox next season.
Combining excellently with the rampaging James Tavernier on the right and delivering a number of sumptuous crosses Barrie McKay could only dream of, Candeias already looks an inspired bargain at just £1 million, as reported by the Daily Record.
Direct, pacey and skilful, the 29-year-old arrived at Ibrox with a reputation for being an effective weapon on the counter attack. Based on his performance against Marseille, he could add a whole new dimension to Rangers’ play going forward.
You could understand why Rangers fans would be concerned when he, along with fellow unknown imports Fabio Cardoso, Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera, arrived at Ibrox this summer. However, if the first impressions at anything to go by, Caixinha’s Rangers squad could be a lot more impressive than the one left behind by Mark Warburton.
Journeyman Candeias could find a home at Ibrox
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