Cruzeiro coach Nicolas Larcamon feels he has signed a ‘very complete player’ after bringing Jose Cifuentes to Brazil from Scottish Premiership giants Rangers.
Given that he arrived at Ibrox after impressing as an attack-minded midfielder across the Atlantic at LAFC, it’s difficult to get away from the feeling that he was set up to fail somewhat in Glasgow.
Mick Beale seemed intent on using – or misusing – Jose Cifuentes in a more defensively-minded role. One which exposed his weaknesses and covered up his strengths. By the time Beale was sent packing, Philippe Clement taking his place, the damage to Cifuentes’ reputation had already been done, the Ecuador international now returning to South America after just six months and nine Scottish Premiership appearances.
Rangers send Jose Cifuentes to Brazil
The good news, for Cifuentes, is that Cruzeiro’s head coach appears to understand him a bit better than Beale did. Nicolas Lacarmon certainly knows the 24-year-old well. His Leon outfit defeated Cifuentes’ LAFC side during the final of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League.
“About Cifuentes, I played against him in the Champions final,” Larcamon tells Globo Esporte.
“He’s a very complete player, very integral, very mixed (in terms of his skillset). He has the ability to play very well in phases with the ball and also in phases without the ball.
“He comes to improve the midfield, to add something to the squad.”
A fresh start
CIfuentes joins on loan, with an option-to-buy clause in his contract (BBC Sport). It is not known, at this stage, how much Rangers could earn from a permanent move but some reports have indicated that he is valued at around £2 million.
One player who will not be on his way out of Ibrox outside of the Scottish transfer window, however, is Ridvan Yilmaz.
After weeks of speculation suggesting the former Besiktas ace could be heading back to Turkey, Galatasaray have sealed a deal to bring in another left-back, Derrick Kohn arriving from Hannover in the German second-tier.
