By Graeme Hanna

18th Apr, 2023 | 8:10am

Rangers transfer news as Jose Cifuentes move to Ibrox on the cards

Rangers want to sign Jose Cifuentes of MLS club Los Angeles FC this summer, according to Tom Bogert.

Cifuentes is an Ecuadorian international midfielder whose contract in California ends at the turn of the year, meaning a bargain move could be on the cards.

Leeds United and Espanyol are also said to be potential new destinations for the player, who has shined for club and country in recent years.

This is a very interesting transfer link for a few reasons, whilst Bogert is an excellent source on MLS matters. He was the journalist who broke the story of James Sands coming to Ibrox from NYC FC.

“Have heard Leeds United, Rangers and Espanyol as potential options for LAFC & Ecuador int’l midfielder Jose Cifuentes,” he stated on his Twitter account.

“I’d imagine a lot of teams in Europe are interested with his contract expiring at the end of 2023. Either an undervalued summer transfer or free in the winter.”

Serious potential

At 24 years of age, with 15 caps for Ecuador, Cifuentes has a very attractive profile.

His credentials are enhanced if he is also attracting glances from the Premier League and La Liga but it is his attainability that stands out.

Coming into the last six months of his contract in the US, the player will be available for a knockdown fee, with Michael Beale wanting to get his summer recruits into the club, early, as he stated last week.

The undervalued description from Bogert is an interesting addition whilst he expects further interest from European clubs for the midfielder who moved to LA in January 2020.

Rangers and Scottish football is on the map across the pond thanks to the recent exploits of Malik Tillman and Sands, whilst across the city, Cameron Carter-Vickers is another well established figure in the USMNT setup.

This is an intriguing transfer story to monitor.

In other Rangers news, fresh club partner set to be announced after painful developments for fans – Four Lads.