Rangers are now “one step away” from completing a deal for LAFC midfielder Jose Cifuentes, according to the latest transfer news coming out of Ecuador.
The Ibrox club have been heavily linked with a move for the 24-year-old Ecuador international all summer long and now Imperio Futbol EC are claiming an agreement is close to being struck.
According to the report, Jose Cifuentes has “everything ready to make the leap to European football” with Rangers set to be the player’s destination.
The report claims that it is “expected” the deal will go through with Rangers fans getting increasingly excited about a player with the Ecuadorean’s profile joining the club.
Jose Cifuentes “one step away” from Rangers move
The reports comes with Jose Cifuentes set to enter the final six months of his contract in the MLS, with Rangers free to strike a deal for the player on July 1st.
However, the Ibrox side will need to negotiate a fee with LAFC to release Jose Cifuentes from his contract early, with reports claiming that could reach up to £1.5m.
Whilst Rangers have already spent more than that on a single player this summer, reports claiming a deal for Atalanta striker Sam Lammers could reach up to £3.5m, there’s a feeling the Jose Cifuentes move could be the club’s marquee move of the transfer window.
With the transfer news linking the likes of Leeds United and Brighton heading into this window, Fabrizio Romano has previously claimed Rangers have held off Premier League competition for the midfielder.
There have also been suggestions of £6m interest from Newcastle United only last season, whilst Premier League champions Man City were linked earlier in the player’s career.
If Rangers can – as expected – get the deal for Jose Cifuentes over the line then the move for the Ecuador international could prove a masterstroke for Michael Beale and the Ibrox side.
Coming into Rangers will be a full international South American star with Premier League potential at the highest level, whilst Rangers will offer Jose Cifuentes the expectation that comes with playing at Ibrox.
It’s a potentially potent mix and let’s hope we see the best of the player wearing Light Blue before he banks us a fortune should everything be signed, sealed and delivered in the coming weeks.
