Los Angeles FC coach Steve Cherundolo recently described the seemingly Rangers-bound Jose Cifuentes as an ‘incredibly complete’ central midfielder.
You only have to look at the statistics to see what he meant.
With seven goals and six assists during the 2022 MLS campaign, Jose Cifuentes was one of LAFC’s most influential attackers. With 1.8 successful tackles per game on average, meanwhile, he was also one of their most consistent ball-winners too. Furthermore, Cifuentes managed the third-most dribbles, the fifth-most shots, and his tally of yellow cards almost reached double figures (WhoScored).
‘Complete’ indeed.
Rangers, according to Fabrizio Romano and the Scottish Sun, are closing in on a deal to sign a 23-year-old who featured for Ecuador at the Qatar World Cup. And while it’s always tempting to pigeonhole midfielders into a certain box, Cifuentes is one of those who defies convention.
Not quite an attacking midfielder, not quite a defensive one, but a mix of both. A jack of all trades who could yet become a master of many.
Rangers close in on LAFC star Jose Cifuentes
“Cifuentes is a ‘number eight’, who is physical and strong in defence with a tendency to get involved in the attack,” Ecuador expert Benedikt Duda tells Transfermarkt.
“Footballing-wise, he models himself after Paul Pogba.”
Given their Ecuadorian backgrounds, and their all-action approach in the centre of the park, comparisons between Cifuentes and Brighton and Hove Albion’s £90 million-rated midfield master Moises Caicedo were always inevitable. Especially with the latter keeping the former out of the starting XI on the international stage.
But as LAFC’s assistant coach, Marc dos Santos, points out, there is no reason why Cifuentes cannot thrive alongside a more defensively-minded midfielder. Cifuentes’ talents, he adds, are best utilised in a more advanced role, where his silky interplay and eye for goal can come to the fore.
“Sure, (Cifuentes and Caicedo) have some similarities. But Cifuentes is a bit more forward-thinking, and is best suited as a ‘number eight’ or even as a ‘number ten’,” Dos Santos tells TM.
“I would describe him almost as a ‘half-eight’. A typical box-to-box midfielder (who) has a good shot, is skilful, and very dynamic.”
Cifuentes’ contract at LAFC expires in December. Rangers – like they did with Todd Cantwell in January – could therefore snap up the one-time Celtic target on reduced terms.
A midfield of Cantwell, Cifuentes and winter recruit Nicolas Raskin, meanwhile, looks more perfectly-balanced than a Michelin star main course. Cantwell’s creativity, Raskin’s energy and Cifuentes providing a link in between.
