RANGERS signing Rafael Fernandes has shared his delight at joining the club on loan from OSC Lille for the remainder of this season.
The defender says he used to watch Rangers growing up in Portugal and now can’t wait to take to the Ibrox pitch as a player.
In an exclusive first interview after joining the club, he said: “I have followed Rangers since I was a kid, so it is a club that I really love. This club has a lot of history and when I knew about the interest I really wanted to come here.
“I was aware of Rangers since I started to watch football, when I was five or six years old. I used to play the PlayStation and sometimes I played with Rangers.
“My first impressions have been really good. I met some of my colleagues, some of the staff and all of them made me comfortable to start this new challenge.
“I met the coach yesterday, and he said what he expected from me, and he spoke a little bit about what he wants in the team and the club - it was a nice conversation.”
Behind the scenes from signing day 👇
A product of Sporting Lisbon’s academy, Fernandes also spent two seasons in the topflight in Portugal with Arouca before moving to Lille.
On his football journey so far, he continued: “I played at Sporting for around 13 years, I learned a lot there. I started to learn more things technically, tactically, and as a person. It was a great experience, and it made me a better person inside and outside of the pitch.
“I left Sporting and went to Arouca, and then Lille. I have been there for one year and now I am here. I am a fast guy, I am strong, I am good with the ball too and I am a player who will give everything for the team.
Fernandes can’t wait to get out on the pitch with his teammates now, as he looks to make an impact in the final months of the season.
He added: “The first interaction was really good, the players made me comfortable and asked me about the small things. I really liked the first interaction with them.
“For me, the most important thing now is to get on the pitch and start to play football again and I am really looking forward to it.”