Rangers first team coach Michael Beale has congratulated Thiago Mendes as the Brazilian prepares for a move to Lyon and believes that he has the ability to play in the Premier League.
Lyon are on the verge of completing a double-swoop for Lille's Mendes and Youssouf Kone, as they bid to strengthen their squad this summer.
The French club are expected to pay their league rivals an amount of €37m for the duo.
Mendes plied his trade for Brazilian side Sao Paulo for two years before moving to France in 2017; the defensive midfielder was involved in nine goals from 90 appearances for the Tricolor.
Beale, who is on the coaching staff under Steven Gerrard at Rangers, worked with the 27-year-old in Brazil when he was the assistant manager of Sao Paulo.
Although the two were together at the club for only six months, Beale is confident that Mendes has what it takes to play in the Premier League with ease.
"Congratulations to Thiago Mendes on his pending move from Lille to Lyon", Beale wrote on his Twitter account.
"A player that always had the ability and character to do well in Europe.
"He could easily play in the Premier League one day."
Mendes made 34 league appearances for Lille last season, in a campaign which saw the club finish second behind Paris Saint-Germain.
