The Pedro Caixinha era is underway at Rangers and, while there will be tougher tests than Hamilton Academical, it started well with a resounding 4-0 win at Ibrox. Though the Portuguese has some way to go to prove he’s the man to lead the Light Blues back towards the title, he couldn’t have had a much better start to life in Glasgow.

One of the biggest talking points to come out of Saturday’s game was Caixinha’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation. Predecessor Mark Warburton had invoked the ire of the Ibrox faithful for his downright refusal to sway from a 4-3-3, no matter what the context of the game, so the change must have been a welcome sight for the Gers and their fans.

Interestingly enough, that formation seemed to allow players such as Emerson Hyndman, Barrie McKay and Kenny Miller to thrive in a more creative sense, something Rangers have struggled with for much of the campaign. Deploying three men behind the central striker also raises the probability Caixinha will be more inclined to operate with a natural No.10, a role that can currently only be filled by either the ageing Kenny Miller or the injured Niko Kranjcar.

With that in mind, and with the club in desperate need of a marquee name this summer, perhaps that could be an area in which the Gers look to bring in a big name. Still, with players in that position proving so expensive over recent years, perhaps the new boss could turn to an old face he used to work with in order to sufficiently strengthen.

Enter, Portugal international Danny. Out of contract in just a few months, here are three reasons he’d be an ideal signing for Rangers, having worked with Caixinha at Sporting Lisbon.

Swagger Back

While this season was always going to be a difficult one for Rangers, one of the most disappointing aspects of it has been the fact they aren’t at all playing like one of the biggest clubs in Scotland. All too often, there’s a distinct lack of personality within the ranks and the kind of front-foot attacking enterprise those at Ibrox are accustomed to has rarely been seen this season.

Well, bringing in a man as good as Danny would certainly go some way into changing things. He may be 34 years of age but the Portuguese has never relied on his pace, rather picking up pockets of space that appear to lay between heartbeats.

Having played at elite level for most of his career, Danny would give Rangers an entirely new dimension in the final third.

Experience in similar leagues

Granted, the Scottish Premiership is probably a dip in quality compared to the higher echelons of the Ukranian and Russian leagues where he’s previously played, but Danny has a wealth of experience mixing it in more physical atmospheres.

In fact, he’d probably have more space in which to operate, only improving the quality of his final ball. Perhaps arrivals from the continent don’t always translate in the SPFL, but the Portuguese has shown an ability to deal with divisions of a similar nature.

Tactical Fluidity

Danny would be able to drop deep and pick up the ball, before switching to the likes of McKay and give Rangers more threat on the counter, or push up in support of the central striker in games where Caixinha needs to find the tools to break down a compact defence.

While, at 34, he may appear to be another short-term signing, there’s also the option of dropping him into a deep-lying playmaker role over the next few years. The likes of Kenny Miller and Clint Hill (both playing more physically demanding roles) have shown players can indeed carry on late into the autumn of their careers in Scotland.