Rangers are finally closing in on the signing of LAFC midfielder Jose Cifuentes after agreeing a deal worth around £1.2million.
This one has taken some time but it looks like Rangers have finally landed their man.
The Daily Record report that Cifuentes is now set t complete his move to Rangers in the next week.
Rangers have agreed a fee worth around £1.2million for Cifuentes and the deal is, at long last, imminent.
Cifuentes’ move to Rangers has been rumbling for weeks now and the Gers appear to be on the verge of deal.
The Glasgow Times reported early in June that Cifuentes was set for a medical with Rangers.
More than a month has passed and Cifuentes still hasn’t touched down in Glasgow.
It now looks like Cifuentes will head to Scotland very soon and become Michael Beale’s latest signing.
Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers have already arrived at Ibrox this summer.
Adding another midfielder was a key focus for Rangers and Cifuentes will now join Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell in a potentially exciting midfield trio.
What are Rangers getting in Jose Cifuentes?
This move feels like a major one for Rangers.
Cifuentes has not only been impressing in Major League Soccer with LAFC, but also on the international stage with Ecuador.
South American football expert Tim Vickery told TalkSPORT in 2019 that he sees Cifuentes as a ‘terrific midfielder’, hailing him for his strength, quality on the ball and engine to get around the pitch.
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo heaped praise on Cifuentes last year, calling him ‘incredibly talented’ and a ‘complete player’.
A real all-action midfielder, Cifuentes is just as likely to be breaking up play as he is to be spraying passes across the pitch or driving forward with the ball.
There is still some developing for Cifuentes to do, but he has shown the ability to be an all-round midfield maestro at his best.
Cifuentes has been linked with big Premier League moves too.
The Sun claimed in August 2022 that Brighton and Hove Albion, Leeds United and Newcastle United were all keen on Cifuentes.
Less than a year later, Rangers have got their man and the 24-year-old fits what Rangers need; a player who can make an instant impact but also has bags of potential and resale value.
It’s hard not to get excited about this one and whilst there have been a few false dawns on the Cifuentes front, Rangers will hopefully have the move tied up soon enough.
