Former France Under-21 captain Moutaouakil arrived on loan at Motherwell from Charlton earlier this week after finding first-team opportunities limited at The Valley.

He immediately contacted Bougherra when offered the move to Fir Park and the Ibrox favourite provided him with a glowing report of Scottish football.

Moutaouakil, 23, now plans to make just as big an impact and thanked new boss Jim Gannon for giving him the opportunity to kick-start his career again.

"I am very grateful to him and Motherwell for giving me the opportunity to come and play," he said.

"I had been told a few days ago from my manager at Charlton that Jim Gannon wanted to bring me here to Motherwell.

"He told me that it would be a good opportunity to play so I spoke to my agent and he also said it would be good for me.

"I also spoke with my good friend Madjid Bougherra, from Glasgow Rangers.

"As soon as I knew I had the opportunity to come here, I wanted to speak with him and he told me good things about Scottish football and good things about Motherwell.

"He was positive about it. He did well in Scotland last year and won the [Rangers] Player of the Year and I hope to do as well as him.

"He's a good example for me of what I can achieve at Motherwell and I am looking forward to playing here.

"From what I've seen this morning at training we've got a good team with a good manager. The squad is full of young players, so that is nice for me."

Moutaouakil could make his debut this Sunday in a friendly against a Manchester United XI at Fir Park and is then set to come face to face with Bougherra when Motherwell play host to Rangers in the SPL.

"I've come in a good moment as my first game could be against Manchester United and after that Rangers so it's an exciting start," Moutaouakil told his new club's official website.

"These are the games I have come here to play in. I was at the Old Firm game in Glasgow last February and the atmosphere was absolutely amazing.

"It's funny that my first league game could be against Rangers and Madjid.

"It would be great to beat him; we'll be enemies on the pitch, but afterwards we'll be friends again and will have a nice meal and a wine."