Daniel Candeias has proven a rare hit from Pedro Caixinha for Rangers
Pedro Caixinha did not leave much to cheer about when he left Rangers. He brought in plenty of players he knew from his time in Portugal and Mexico. The likes of Eduardo Herrera, Carlos Pena and Dalcio just sum up how disappointing nearly all of these recruits proved to be.
However, one of his Portuguese countrymen has proven himself a true fan favourite at Ibrox. Not many Rangers fans will have heard of Daniel Candeias when he joined the club in 2017.
The winger was signed for a fee reported by the BBC to be in the region of £700,000 from Benfica. Many immediately doubted he would have any impact at Ibrox.
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 22: Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha kicks out at a water bottle during the Betfred League Cup Semi Final between Rangers and Motherwell at Hampden Park on October 22, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
However, he has been a fantastic addition to the Rangers fold and was handed a new contract in 2018. Steven Gerrard’s arrival in the summer would have had him worried, especially with the mass cull of Caixinha signings that followed. But Candeias has become a vital member of the Rangers fold under the new manager.
Candeias further improved his reputation with the Rangers fanbase at the weekend. His tireless work-rate against Celtic had fans out of breath watching him and summed up the hard-working attitude that earned him a new contract in March.
Caixinha did very little right during his time at Rangers. But bringing this man to Ibrox was certainly something the fans will agree paid off.
