Portuguese coach Pedro Caixinha is pursuing a deal to make powerful Ghanaian defender Rashid Sumaila his first Rangers signing.

The Ibrox boss described the 24-year-old as his ‘trusted centre-back’ after taking him on loan at Qatari club Al-Gharafa from Kuwait’s Al-Qadisa.

And on Friday Sumaila’s Portuguese representative claimed the Ibrox club have already made contact with the player over a move to Scotland this summer.

"I can confirm that Rangers have approached the player and informed his club in Kuwait," Pedro Serpa Pinto told Sportsmail.

"As you know the player is on loan at Al Gharafa right now. But he likes the coach Pedro Caixinha and he would like to work with him again in Scotland."

"I think this can happen. But so far nobody from Rangers has been in contact with me directly."

Meanwhile, a section of the club's supporters are clamouring for the Ghanaian centre back to be purchased this summer by asking him to choose the jersey number he would like to wear at the club and some also view him in the mould of former cult hero Majid Bougherra.

Capped six times for the Ghana Black Stars, Sumaila made the 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup. The hard tackling defender has had a nomadic club career, including a spell in South Africa prior to moving to Kuwait where he won a best foreign player award.

He subsequently became a key player for Caixinha during his time in charge at Al-Gharafa.