Brazilian left-back Jefte swapped the warmth of Cyprus for the heat of the challenge at Rangers in the summer.
Joining Rangers at the end of his Fluminense contract, the Gers had failed in a bid to bring the Brazilian to Ibrox in January whilst Jefte was on loan at APOEL.
Since moving to the Ibrox club in the summer Jefte has made a big impression and despite being only 21-years-old, has made the left-back berth his own at Rangers.
Now, the ambitious defender has been speaking about his time at Rangers and everything from Brazilian teammate Danilo, his footballing idol and difficulties with the Scottish accent.
Jefte on ‘most difficult thing about life at Rangers’
Jefte is in the process of learning English but it’s certainly not made any easier by the challenge of learning the language in Scotland.
The Rangers defender has been speaking to RangersTV in his mother tongue of Portuguese and claims the hardest thing about life at Ibrox isn’t managing the expectations of supporters or holding down a first-team place.
For the fearless young Brazilian, the hardest thing about moving to Scotland has been having to deal with the challenge of the language.
”The main thing I find difficult here is speaking the language,” Jefte said.
”The English is very different from the English I’m used to.
”But I feel very well here, I’m very happy here. I like going out with my family, going out with my day, my mum.
”Also going out with my wife when she’s here. So I’ve been adapting well, I enjoy it.
“Little by little it’s getting better, it’s a hard language.
”I’m studying hard to be able to understand better, to be able to communicate.
”I’m sure that soon I’ll be able to be speaking Scottish English.”
Danilo has been a ‘bigger brother’ to Jefte
Jefte isn’t the only Brazilian currently at Rangers with former Feyenoord striker Danilo moving to Ibrox a year before the young left-back arrived.
Danilo has had his own problems at Rangers and has struggled with fitness issues pretty much since he walked through the doors at Auchenhowie.
But despite his own challenges, Danilo has been a huge influence of helping Jefte to settle in Scotland with the left-back describing the striker as a ‘bigger brother’.
“He’s always helping me out,” said Jefte when asked about Danilo.
“I don’t know how things would have been if he wasn’t here.
“All the time he’s teaching me things, he’s encouraging me. He’s truly been a bit like a father to me, like a bigger brother.
Rangers star names Real Madrid legend as ‘idol’
Growing up in Brazil, Jefte had a number of current and historic idols that he could look up to as he looks to make his way in the game.
But the kid from Rio de Janeiro wasn’t so interested in Neymar, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo or even the great Pele.
Being a left-back, for Jefte the likes of Marcelo was an obvious early inspiration but thanks to his ex-professional father, Real Madrid Roberto Carlos soon became his self-confessed ‘idol’.
”I’m not that old, so one of my idols was Marcelo,” said Jefte.
“But then my dad started telling me about Roberto Carlos.
”So I went on YouTube and looked at some videos of Roberto Carlos playing, then he became my idol.”
Jefte on Premier League ‘dream’
Jefte is often referenced by Rangers manager Philippe Clement as being amongst the club’s brightest young assets.
Over the course of the last six months, the defender’s development has been clear for all to see.
But amid all the player trading chatter at Ibrox, Jefte insists his short-term goal is about developing at Rangers and delivering silverware.
As for the future, well, it’s always been the young Brazilian’s dream to make an impact on the English Premier League.
“Short term my ambition is to continue to evolve, to develop and show the coaching staff, the manager, the club directors that I will always do everything I can to help the club,” Jefte.
“To leave my blood on the pitch every single time, to train seriously and, of course, to win matches and titles.
”Long term, I’ve always had the ambition of playing in the Premier League – that’s a dream of mine.
”But that’s talking long term. For now, my mind is here, and what I want is to help this club.”
