Rangers deal with Jose Cifuentes all but done, small bid submitted as ‘smart money’ verdict shared
Rangers have submitted a small bid to LAFC to prise Jose Cifuentes away from California this summer, according to The 4th Official.
The news outlet, that reliably reports on the Light Blues on Patreon with the help of Fabrizio Romano, reported on Wednesday (21 June) that personal terms for Cifuentes, 24, to join the Scottish Premiership club are “essentially done”.
It’s now just a matter of Rangers agreeing a fee with LAFC because as it stands, Cifuentes will leave the MLS club at the end of the year when his contract expires.
Due to this, the Gers’ offer to Los Angeles is not a huge amount and while the Ecuador midfielder is a “major player” there, the “smart money would be on them coming to an agreement soon”.
Matter of time
It’s dragged on a bit, this, hasn’t it?
Cifuentes seems to have been linked with a move to Ibrox for some time now with the Ecuadorian’s name first featuring on Ibrox News back in April when The Athletic journalist Tom Bogert reported he was wanted in Govan.
Leeds United and Espanyol were also linked with the South American midfielder but now it seems Rangers are about to win the race for his signature.
We have high hopes for this one because Cifuentes has, as The 4th Official mentioned, been a big player for LAFC in the MLS in recent years.
He played a massive role in LAFC reaching the North American Champions League final this is year. Unfortunately for him and the Americans, they lost the final 3-1 on aggregate to Mexico’s Leon.
Cifuentes has played at the World Cup too, so he’s no stranger to the big stage.
He’ll hopefully be playing in the European version of the Champions League next season for one of the most successful football clubs in the world.
In other Rangers news, an update on the Gers’ bid to sign an English defender has emerged.