Is Dalcio already at risk of becoming Rangers’ forgotten man?

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Benfica-owned winger Dalcio hasn’t featured for Rangers since the Europa League loss to Progres Niederkorn.

While Bruno Alves, Graham Dorrans and predatory poacher Alfredo Morelos already look the real deal at Rangers, the jury is still very much still out on Eduardo Herrera, Fabio Cardoso and the seldom seen Carlos Pena.

However, spare a thought for Dalcio. Arguably the most bizarre of Rangers’ summer signings, the 21-year-old winger never made a single senior appearance during two years at Benfica, scoring just twice in 50 appearances for the club’s B team.

And it’s fair to say his impact at Rangers, since joining on loan from the Portuguese giants, has left a lot to be desired.

Dalcio has featured just twice for the Glasgow giants so far, the humiliating 2-0 second leg defeat against Luxembourg minnows Progres Niederkorn in the Europa League first qualifying round his most recent appearance.

Coming on at half time against the side that finished fourth in the Luxembourg National Division last season, it’s fair to say Dalcio didn’t exactly light up a dire tie.

In fact, his impact amounted to tripping over the ball with barely an opposition player in sight. And, with manager Pedro Caixinha freezing him out of the side since, you wonder whether Dalcio is already in danger of becoming the club’s forgotten man.

Caixinha demonstrated last season that he is not afraid to banish players he believes are not up to scratch, Harry Forrester, Barrie McKay and Michael O’Halloran forced to train with the reserves after falling out of favour.

And though there is a long season ahead, and Dalcio deserves to be given time and space to adapt to the Scottish league, it’s fair to say he’s not made the most promising of starts.