Glasgow Rangers appear to be on course to complete a move for Los Angeles FC midfielder Jose Cifuentes this week, according to a new report.
Are Rangers signing Jose Cifuentes?
Michael Beale and Ibrox officials have been extremely busy so far this summer, with seven new players already brought to the club this summer.
Three forwards have arrived in Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima, and it looks as if Feyenoord striker Danilo is also set to sign after a £6m agreement was reached with the Dutch champions.
Another long-term target has been Cifuentes, with Beale even admitting that a deal was in place to sign the player on a free transfer at the end of the year, however, work was ongoing on bringing a deal forward.
“It is getting closer. The logistics of that one, with work permits. The clubs are still talking. He’s out of contract at the end of the year and we have an agreement with that but would like to bring it to a close early so he can join us this season.”
It now looks as if an immediate summer switch is on the cards after Football Insider provided a positive transfer update on Rangers and Cifuentes in the last 48 hours.
They claimed Beale is desperate to sign the midfielder, and that the two sides are close to reaching an agreement that would see Cifuentes sign this summer. The two sides are ‘expected to have a deal completed this week’. No exact transfer fee was cited, but it does look as if a move is gathering real pace after an agreement was fast-tracked.
Who is Jose Cifuentes?
Cifuentes appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €12m Transfermarkt valuation and can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder.
Sponsored by Nike, the 24-year-old has played 16 times for Ecuador at senior level and has been with LAFC since January 2020. During that time, Cifuentes has turned out on 121 occasions, scoring 15 times and registering 20 assists.
He appears to be going from strength to strength in the MLS, and previously, Tim Vickery, an expert on all things to do with South American football, called the 24-year-old a "terrific" player after his performances at the Under-20 World Cup in 2019.
"He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder," said Vickey on talkSPORT.
"He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.
"This fellow Cifuentes strikes the ball well, moves across the field, strong in the tackle, strong on the ball, I like him a lot."
It looks as if an imminent move to Glasgow is on the cards, and should he arrive in the coming days, Cifuentes would become the club’s most valuable player, as per Transfermarkt, with his €12m valuation higher than any current Rangers player, showing how this move could be a major cup for those in Glasgow.
