Rangers could now be set to announce Jose Cifuentes transfer in hours as transfer news emerges
LAFC midfielder Jose Cifuentes is due to arrive in Glasgow after a fee was agreed between the MLS club and Rangers and his long-awaited transfer could be announced in the coming hours.
According to Football Scotland (27 July) the Ecuadorian midfielder is set to arrive in Glasgow after it was previously reported he was waiting to receive a work visa before travelling to Scotland to join up with his new club’s pre-season preparations.
The 24-year-old has been on the cards as an Ibrox arrival throughout the transfer window, with Michael Beale desperate to get a deal done this summer rather than when his LAFC contract expires in December.
News of Cifuentes’ imminent arrival will be welcome and relieving news for the Gers fans who have been patiently waiting for this transfer to go through, after several twists and turns during the process of agreeing on a deal to bring the player from the MLS to Glasgow.
The Daily Record newspaper (10 July, page 48 & back page) reported that a twist in the deal had emerged with the move put on hold and Rangers not expecting to shake hands with the MLS side for another couple of weeks.
However, in a promising new development by Scottish reports for the Rangers fans and Beale who have been left frustrated at how long this deal has dragged on, it now looks as if the Light Blues could be announcing this deal in the coming hours.
Reports claim a deal was reached between Rangers and LAFC on 26 July, with the Ecuadorian initially in line to join the club upon the expiry of his contract, but the Glasgow side brought the deal forward after agreeing a reasonable fee with the MLS side.
The club have been looking to strengthen their midfield this summer following the departure of Scott Arfield, while Glen Kamara is also expected to leave the club soon and Beale could well be creating a stunning new midfield triumvirate between the likes of Nicolas Raskin, Todd Cantwell and Cifuentes.
It’s clear Beale and his team need some midfield dynamism and invention and Cifuentes has long been the perfect fit to fulfil those responsibilities, making 7.69 progressive passes per 90 (91st percentile) and 2.47 progressive carries per 90 (91st percentile) [FBRef].
His goalscoring for a central midfielder is also impressive, with 0.16 goals per 90 (90th percentile) showing him to be a dangerous attacking presence within the LAFC midfield.
The Ecuadorian appears to have safely come through his most recent appearances without picking up an injury that would have threatened to derail the move entirely until the winter but with the MLS now on a month-long break, Rangers have now been given the space to negotiate with LAFC freely and complete this long-awaited transfer.
The fact that Cifuentes is now set to arrive in Ibrox means it is now just hours away before Rangers fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief and marvel at the sight of their exciting new midfield weaponry.
In other Rangers news, a journalist in The Scotsman has given a damning verdict on Rangers star’s future.