Jose Cifuentes decides on Ibrox exit as Rangers man joins new club
Jose Cifuentes has made his decision to leave Rangers for Cruzeiro and is now the Brazilian side’s newest addition, according to Cesar Luis Merlo.
The Mr Offsider journalist reported via Twitter on 4 February that the Ibrox midfielder joins on loan with a permanent option after deciding against the option of moving to Turkey.
The Light Blues had accepted a £2million loan-to-buy offer from Rizespor and the 24-year-old looked set for the Super Lig, but he will instead be playing in Brazil for the rest of the season at least.
There had been a blockage of a few days in the negotiations towards the end of the British transfer window, but with the market staying open until 7 March in Brazil [Andy Newport, 1 February] a breakthrough was made between the clubs, and the player’s decision appears to have sealed the deal.
Rangers to Cruzeiro deal done for Cifuentes
Although there are travel disruptions delaying the former LAFC man’s departure from Glasgow in a physical sense it looks like the deal is done in time for the close of the Brazilian window.
That should save him from being left in limbo at Ibrox with Philippe Clement seemingly having moved on swiftly, after Cifuentes’ difficult half-season at the club.
Former manager Michael Beale expected the Ecuador international to be a difference maker in the centre of the Rangers line-up but it didn’t prove to be, and the now-Sunderland boss apparently failed in a Deadline Day attempt to convince him of a reunion at the Stadium of Light [Alan Nixon via Patreon, 4 February].
Whether that indicates Cifuentes simply preferred a return to South America, having been unmoved by the Rizespor option, or that he wasn’t convinced by Beale after their brief time together at Ibrox, only he will really know.
But after just 20 Rangers first-team appearances it looks like his short-term future is now wrapped up, and it would surely be a surprise to see him turn out for Rangers again, although not impossible.
In other Rangers news, an Ibrox-bound new signing has apologised publicly for an “incident” during the January transfer window.
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