Rangers have been handed a potential Jose Cifuentes boost by Leeds United’s devastating Premier League defeat to West Ham.
The Elland Road club – who only ended a 16-year top flight exodus in 2020 – could be back down to the Championship three years later with their Premier League status on the brink.
Falling to a 3-1 defeat to the Hammers – whom grateful Rangers fans will be congratulating for reaching the Europa Conference League Final – the result leaves Sam Allardyce’s team staring at relegation.
Now sitting in 18th place in the Premier League table, Leeds will be relegated on the final day unless results go their way, with their top flight fate officially out of their own hands.
Leeds in relegation dogfight amid Jose Cifuentes links
Leeds, Leicester City and Everton are in a three-way relegation dogfight with the Foxes set to play their game in hand against Champions League hungry Newcastle Utd this evening.
Should they win it, they will go level on points with Everton (33) and two ahead of Leeds (31) heading into the final game of the season this weekend.
Leeds – who were named as a key suitor amid Rangers’ pursuit of Jose Cifuentes – would then need to defeat Tottenham at home on the final day and hope that both Everton (Bournemouth at home) and Leicester (West Ham at home) lose their respective matches.
With relegated clubs expected to lose at least £50m there’s a Premier League fortune on the line and, given those Leeds links to Cifuentes, Rangers fans have a vested interest in the situation.
Rangers reportedly heading transfer chase
Reports earlier in the week suggested Rangers are in advanced discussions over a deal for LAFC midfielder Jose Cifuentes, who is out of contract in December.
There have been several names mentioned in the hunt for the 24-year-old, including Leeds, Brighton, Benfica and Toulouse, but Rangers are believed to have stolen a march.
With the player’s agent attending Rangers’ 3-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox, and the midfielder appearing to like tweets suggesting he is moving to Ibrox, the statement move for Cifuentes appeared to be on.
But, while he didn’t deny the interest, Rangers manager Michael Beale poured cold water on any notion a move for the midfielder was close.
With Leeds linked to Cifuentes, and Rangers clear a deal is yet to be officially struck, the Ibrox support will have one eye on the Premier League and a potential chess piece being knocked off the board.
But with Brighton also linked, other supporters might point to the Seagulls’ admirable Premier League success this campaign, where they have just secured European football for the first time in their history.
