Brazilian defender Pablo Santos has signed for Rubin Kazan on loan from Braga, with an option for the club to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. The 27-year-old arrived in Portugal in 2017, spending a season at Maritimo before joining Braga.

Santos played the whole first leg 1-0 home win against Spartak Moscow in this season’s Europa League qualifiers and has gone on to play in all but one of the club’s matches in the group stages. In total he has scored five goals in 47 appearances for Braga.

“There was practically no decision to make, as when the option of joining came along I agreed immediately,” he told the club’s press service. “Rubin is a good club, and I would like to live up to my expectations.”

Santos plays primarily as a centre-back but is also capable of filling full-back and defensive midfield roles.