Jose Cifuentes wanted by four clubs in Rangers exit update
Jose Cifuentes had Rangers exit routes available to four different leagues before deciding to join Cruzeiro in Brazil, according to Samuel Venancio.
Reporting via Twitter on 4 February the journalist, who has 469,000 followers on the platform, said the midfielder was also wanted for a return to MLS, as well as by clubs in Turkey and the English Championship.
Rangers had agreed a loan-to-buy deal with Rizespor in the Turkish Super Lig, while former boss Michael Beale reportedly wanted Cifuentes to follow him to Sunderland [Alan Nixon, 4 February], but it is not clear which US side were after the former LAFC man.
Travel documents and the Carnival period in Brazil are set to delay the 24-year-old’s trip to the country, but the deal appears to be done.
Venancio wrote, translated to English: “Player was looking [at] a club in Turkey, one in the Championship and one in the MLS.”
Cifuentes in demand despite Rangers struggle
It says something about a player to be wanted so widely despite a difficult move to Glasgow never really getting off the ground.
Cifuentes will hope to resurrect his career as soon as possible with the quick exit, and while the Brazil move is expected to be a loan move with an option to buy it looks like there will probably be other takers if they don’t make it permanent.
Mohamed Diomande has come in at Ibrox and will surely be expected to start regularly before long given the £4.5million put towards him, so Rangers haven’t wasted time in having another swing at addressing the midfield.
It would help the club’s ability to spend further in the summer if they can make their money back on Cifuentes, or perhaps bank a profit on his £1.2m transfer fee paid to Los Angeles [Sky Sports, 4 August].
His move to Ibrox only resulted in nine SPFL appearances and his struggles contributed to Beale’s transfer business proving to be a big disappointment.
But it looks like enough clubs have put that down to the circumstances rather than Cifuentes himself, and having not been short of options for a next move will hope to have made the right choice in heading to Belo Horizonte.
In other Rangers news, the manager has revealed another first-team player might now require surgery.
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