Rangers star Danilo badly missed by former Feyenoord teammate after Ibrox transfer amid ‘indescribable’ verdict
Danilo’s former Feyenoord teammate Igor Paixao has lamented the striker’s move to Rangers this summer after an “almost indescribable” impact on his fellow Brazilian and family.
The Eredivisie winger told the club’s official website (21 September) that it was a “great pity” that the now Gers forward had left for Ibrox during the transfer window as he had been “like a brother” to him in the Netherlands.
Paixao explained how his arrival in the country a year ago had been greatly eased by Danilo and admitted “I miss him, of course” now that his former teammate had left for Scotland.
Paixao said of the new Ibrox forward: “He was crucial to my adjustment here in the first season. He knew the Netherlands, spoke the language. He really felt like a brother to me.
“What he has done for me and my family is almost indescribable. I am extremely grateful to him. It is a great pity that he left for the Scottish league. I miss him, of course. But life goes the way it goes, so is football. Everyone goes their own way.”
Seperated
It is the nature of the transfer market in football that strong bonds are built and then broken, especially for players who are moving thousands of miles across the world from country to country, far from home.
It speaks highly of Danilo’s character that he was of such great importance to Paixao in Rotterdam, and is likely an element of what made Michael Beale so keen to land him this summer.
His start to life as a Rangers player hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing, as the entire new-look front line has struggled to get into a rhythm.
Beale gave the 24-year-old his first SPFL start at St Johnstone last weekend and he duly repaid him by scoring the opener in a 2-0 victory.
But a compound fracture to the face that he suffered in the process of that goal has now ruled him out of action, so he will have to wait to add to his three strikes in 10 appearances.
Now, in his absence it will fall to Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima to get their own stuttering starts in Glasgow under way properly.
In other Rangers news, the pick of the summer business is already becoming a potential exit risk according to Chris Jack.