Portugal defender Bruno Alves has backed teammate Hulk to establish himself as a cult hero at Zenit St Petersburg.
Alves, 30, spoke to reporters about how he helped Hulk to settle in at the club: “I tell him about the history of the club in training, explaining to him why this club is getting upwards.
“I think he has got a lot of talent and he could be a key man at this club in the near future. He knows Zenit have achieved great success in the league and the European competition in recent years.”
The former FC Porto defender also commented on Hulk’s quick integration into Russian life: “Hulk has experience of playing in other countries, including Japan. So, he is learning the language pretty quick.”
Hulk signed for Zenit from FC Porto for €60m despite interest from English clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea.
With the acquisition of Hulk and Axel Witsel from Standard Liege for large fees, Zenit are aiming to win their third league title in a row this season.
