La Liga striker who would 'love' Rangers switch makes it four out of five with latest goal
Today at 07:00 AM
Former Rangers striker Fabio Silva reckons he succeeded in a six-month loan stint in Scotland before moving to Spain with Las Palmas.
But whilst the jury remains out on the 22-year-old Portuguese striker's exploits in Glasgow, Fabio Silva is starting to find his feet in Spain.
The Wolves loanee is part of a Las Palmas side who were rooked to the bottom of La Liga heading into a relegation six-pointer with Valencia in the Mestalla.
But as the Spanish outfit change their manager, ex-Ibrox hitman Silva played a key role in Las Palmas recording their first win of the season and getting off the foot of the table.
Fabio Silva scores again for Las Palmas
Fabio Silva and his Las Palmas teammates have struggled at times this season but the Portuguese hitman is starting to find some form.
After eventually finding his shooting boots in the 3-1 defeat to Villarreal a week before the international break, the striker was back on top form for the crunch match with Valencia.
Silva slotted home Las Palmas' second goal to complete a comeback against Valencia after going 1-0 down to a first-half penalty.
The tidy finish came after some wonderful build-up play, with Adnan Januzaj finding Jose Campaña, who rolled it to Fabio Silva.
This goal from Fabio Silva comes after the Wolves striker scored twice for the Portugal U21s on international duty, meaning the forward now has four goals in five games.
Another Rangers-linked forward in Oliver McBurnie was also involved in Las Palmas's third goal on the night.
The Scotland international joined the Spaniards in the summer and teed up Alberto Moleiro with a stunning outside of the boot cross for the team's third goal in an eventual 3-2 victory.
The victory has added significance given it was the first game under new manager Diego Martinez, who takes over at Las Palmas after the sacking of Luis Carrión.
Rangers loanee wanted permanent Ibrox switch
Fabio Silva's Rangers stint was a bitter disappointment as the striker struggled for goals and eventually wound up part of a team who blew their chance of a title tilt.
The Portuguese striker initially started brightly and even suggested to the media that he wanted a permanent move to Ibrox this summer.
"I love to be here," Fabio Silva told BBC Sport in March. "You know, in football, in life, I don't control these things 100% so it's not my decision 100% to stay here.
"If it depends on me, maybe yes. After I will have to see because as I say I can say yes and then after you have a lot of things around that to take care.
"So it's not my job 100%, maybe on that part I have the least work to do to stay here.
"But this is not the most important now. We have two months to enjoy football, to win titles.
"If we win titles and everything is going the right way, Rangers and me we are going to do everything for me to stay."
Fabio Silva would end up moving on loan to Las Palmas from Wolves this season and since then has reflected on his time at Rangers.
The Portuguese striker told the press that he believes he succeeded in Scotland because he earned the move to La Liga this summer.
"I came here to succeed and I think I succeeded in Scotland because I am now in La Liga," said Silva.
“The issue of the transfer fee that Wolves paid is something that happened and it wasn’t my fault.
“I am 22 years old and I think people forget that. I think I am at my best when I do things instinctively.
“I love the idea of playing in La Liga and I made a huge effort to be here. Las Palmas were the first team that spoke to me in May and it was my choice to be here.
“There’s no point in me putting any pressure on myself by predicting how many goals I will score. I’m here because I’m a striker and I also live off scoring goals. But I can play in many positions, wherever the manager wants.”
