Vitoria Setubal manager Jose Couceiro has revealed he will struggle to hold onto defender Fabio Cardoso amid interest from Rangers.
This comes after the Daily Mail claimed the Glasgow giants were targeting the 23-year-old as manager Pedro Caixinha looks to overhaul his squad this summer.
The Ibrox club are reportedly looking to table a £1million bid for the centre-back and Couceiro is resigned to losing him.
Couceiro told the Daily Record: “I want to keep Fabio [Cardoso]. But my team is not as big and strong as Rangers. We are a middle team in Portugal and we don’t have power.
“If Rangers want a player of Vitoria, we do not have the power to prevent it or to keep this guy.
“Obviously, he is one of my best players and I want him to stay. To make a good team, you need good players always but this is life. I understand.
“If Fabio is wanted by Rangers, of course, it is good for him.”
The 54-year-old boss also mentioned Caixinha knew the player well from his spell as assistant manager at Sporting CP.
Cardoso joined Vitoria last summer on a free from Benfica B and has since gone on to become a key player for the club.
The 23-year-old made 27 appearances in all competitions this term, scoring one goal and supplying an assist, as the side finished 12th in the Primeira Liga.
Despite his youth, the centre-back already has more than 60 top-flight games under his belt, and a further 55 in the second-tier.
The 6″1 defender has also been capped four times by Portugal Under-20s, and has been featured in Rui Jorge’s Under-21s squad, however he is yet to make an appearance for them.
Caixinha is hoping to strengthen his squad this summer ahead of the 2017/18 season as he looks to challenge Celtic for the Scottish Premiership title.