Rangers signed their version of Jota in 2017, then he was a massive flop

Glasgow Rangers’ success in the transfer window has been minimal over the previous few years, with only a couple of signings truly proving to be a hit among the Ibrox support.

Allowing Michael Beale free rein with a decent-sized budget could haunt the club for the next few years, as millions were spent on Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers, with both players looking short of the quality required to fire the Gers to a Premiership title.

Philippe Clement appeared to be going down a different route this summer, looking ahead to the future by signing a host of talented youngsters who could potentially make the club a serious profit in the next few years.

This is a system that Celtic have enjoyed plenty of success with in recent years. Indeed, players such as Matt O’Riley, Moussa Dembélé, Kristoffer Ajer and Jota all joined for relatively small fees, before raking in fortunes for the club.

By following a system like this, if a player succeeds in Glasgow, he will have plenty of suitors, especially from down south, thus making millions for the club in the process.

Jota is the best example of this, as he shone during his time at Celtic, especially during Old Firm matches…

Jota’s success at Celtic

The winger was signed by Celtic from Benfica in the summer of 2021 on an initial loan deal, before this was made permanent ahead of the following campaign.

During his two seasons in Glasgow, the Portuguese gem scored 28 goals and grabbed 26 assists in all competitions, which included being the scourge of Rangers on numerous occasions.

He scored four goals and recorded an assist in ten games against the Light Blues, and it was clear if the Ibrox side were to re-establish their dominance in Scotland, signing a player like Jota was how they could go about it.

He ended up moving to the Middle East in a deal worth around £25m, joining Al Ittihad and the move allowed Celtic to make a stunning profit on the winger.

Despite losing someone of his talent, they have replaced him well, which is something Rangers have struggled with over the years.

Could the Ibrox side have had their own version of Jota a few years previously, however? As one former manager made what looked like a few exciting signings dur

Pedro Caixinha’s Rangers signings

It wouldn’t be entirely fair to say that every single one of Pedro Caixinha’s signings at Rangers were flops. Ryan Jack and Alfredo Morelos buck that trend, with both players enjoying success at the Gers during their respective stints with the club, winning the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.

The less said about the rest, the better, that’s for sure. Money was spent on Eduardo Herrera and Carlos Pena, who scored a grand total of seven goals between them all season.

Elsewhere, Fabio Cardoso arrived, along with Bruno Alves and Graham Dorrans. On the surface, they all looked like solid signings, but the reality was rather different.

One youngster who joined up with the club on a season-long loan was Dalcio, who – like the aforementioned Jota at Parkhead – made the temporary switch from Benfica.

Given their reputation for producing quality talents from their academy, it looked like Caixinha had landed a massive coup.

Unfortunately, his spell turned out to be a waste of time for all involved.

Dalcio’s Rangers statistics

Speaking on his arrival, the winger said: “What attracted me was the history of the club, the size of the club, and mainly, the supporters – the amazing fans the club has.

“The gaffer was a real influence on me too. I know he is really competitive and ambitious, and that was the reasons I wanted to join him.”

Prior to joining Rangers, Dalcio made 50 appearances for Benfica B, scoring twice and registering six assists, and it looked like he could offer something different, especially from the bench.

He started the game against Progres Niederkorn as the club secured a 1-0 victory, before being brought on at halftime during the second leg, which the Gers went on to lose, being knocked out of Europe before the domestic season had even begun.

A one-minute cameo against Hamilton in September proved to be his only other appearance for the Glasgow side, finally leaving in May 2018 after his unsuccessful loan spell.

He had the potential to showcase his talents in Scotland – much like Jota later did – and perhaps secure a permanent deal, yet his signing was arguably one of the worst in the club’s recent history, for that there is no doubt.

What Dalcio did after leaving Rangers

The 28-year-old found some success in Greece, making 67 appearances for Panetolikos before moving to Cyprus, where he shone for APOEL Nicosia, scoring seven goals and grabbing ten assists for the club and this secured him a move to Red Star Belgrade.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Remarkably, Dalcio has played in the Champions League qualifiers for his new side, making 15 appearances in all competitions for the Serbian outfit.

It’s fair to say he didn’t kick on during his time in Glasgow. Whether it was pressure, or the lack of match fitness, the winger struggled to make an impression, and it was clear he wasn’t quite ready for senior football.

Over the previous few years, he has improved and his move to Red Star is evidence of this. The former Benfica youngster could have been Rangers’ very own Jota-type figure during his loan spell, yet he was just another poor signing made by Caixinha.

Some players blossom later on in their careers and this appears to be exactly what Dalcio is doing. Aged just 28, he still has a few more years left to shine at the highest level.

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