Bruno Alves: Rangers sign Portugal defender after he exits Cagliari

Portugal defender Bruno Alves
Defender Bruno Alves arrived in Glasgow on Tuesday

Portugal defender Bruno Alves says he has joined Rangers to win more titles after completing his move from Cagliari on a two-year contract.

The 35-year-old centre-half, who has 89 caps for his country, has won the championship with clubs in his homeland, Russia and Turkey.

"This is one of the best feelings that I have in my career and the last time I was a champion at a club was in Fenerbahce," he told Rangers' websiteexternal-link.

"I want to have this feeling again."

Alves, who becomes compatriot Pedro Caixinha's first summer signing, made 36 appearances for Cagliari after joining from Turkish outfit Fenerbahce last summer and helped them finish 11th in Serie A.

Rangers finished third in the Scottish Premiership, with Celtic retaining the title and 39 points ahead, but the Portugal defender believes he can add to his winners' medals at Ibrox.

"I have this feeling and this desire to win and I think to move here will bring this back to me and to my career," he said.

"At almost all the clubs I have played for, I win and I expect to win here for the fans and for the club. I think I can do this here."

Alves, who is part of Portugal's squad for the Confederations Cup in Russia, was keen to work with Rangers manager Caixinha.

"I know him and I know about the work he did in Portugal and also some players that he coached before," said the defender.

"I think he has the quality and he has the ideas to make this club successful again."

Bruno Alves in action for Cagliari against Napoli
Bruno Alves made 36 appearances for Cagliari in Serie A

Alves began his career with Porto and had spells on loan to Farense, Vitoria Guimaraes and AEK Athens before becoming a first-team regular with the Dragons.

In his eight years with Porto, he gathered nine major honours, including four Primeira Liga titles, before switching to Zenit Saint Petersburg for £18m in 2010.

After winning two Premier League titles and the Super Cup in Russia, he next moved to Fenerbahce for £4.5m in 2013.

A Super Lig title and the Turkish Super Cup followed before his switch to Italy.

That came after he was part of the Portugal squad that won the European Championships in France, his country's first ever major trophy, with Alves playing in the semi-final victory over Wales.

Alves was also in the Porto squad that lost 3-2 to Rangers at Ibrox in a Champions League group stage match in 2005 and recalled "a fantastic environment".

'Bruno will demand a lot of himself and others'

Caixinha said that his compatriot would be a "leader" for the team and brings "a winning mentality" to the club.

"In my opinion all teams need to be built and organised from the back and Bruno is a very talented and experienced player," the Rangers manager said. "He is also really mature and a leader with a strong character.

"What is important is that he is a winner and that is something we all want, to put the club on a winning track again.

"Bruno will be a leader in the dressing room and he will demand a lot from himself and others in the squad, both on the pitch and in our training sessions.

"The players we are trying to bring to Rangers, we want them to have that character, that experience and that maturity, but also that winning mentality."

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