The Brazilians signed Nascimento on a three-year deal from Portuguese side Academia following the departure of club captain Ramahlwe Mphahlele.

Mosimane explains that the 29-year-old, with all his experience, has been brought in as cover for the ageing legs of Thabo Nthethe and Wayne Arendse as they face a prolonged fixture schedule, reports KickOff.com.

‘Ricardo is an experienced defender, I went to watch him in Portugal and I followed him for a year,’ Mosimane said.

‘He’s a typical Thabo Nthethe, but with a left foot, because we want those diagonals [passes] – if you can check our build-up play from left to right.

‘Also, at Thabo and Wayne’s ages they can never play football for two years, so we have to rotate them.’

The Brazilian defender has played for the likes of Portuguese side’s Moreirense, Portimonense, and Romanian side Astra Georgia, before joining Academica in 2014.

He scored one goal and created one assist from 25 appearances in the Portuguese Liga NOS for Academica.