Jose Cifuentes looked like being announced as a Rangers player as early as a couple of weeks ago.
Fabrizio Romano announced that the interest was concrete and that a deal was close with other outlets also suggesting that only the fine print needed to be finalised.
Now, Ecuadorian football site, Mr Offsider – no it isn’t run by Fashion Sakala – has given a timeline of when the transfer of Jose Cifuentes to Rangers could be concluded.
The 24-year old’s contract status makes things a little more complicated than when we signed Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell in January.
Why the hold up in Jose Cifuentes to Rangers?
With the transfer window now officially open, Rangers are free to sign the dynamic midfielder but would need to agree a fee with Los Angeles FC first.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out why the club might be waiting until nearer to the 1st of July when Jose Cifuentes will be available on a pre-contract agreement and Rangers wouldn’t have to pay as big a fee.
LAFC can, of course, dig their heels in and refuse to sell the Ecuadorian and let his contract run out, however, it would be a surprise if they didn’t accept a cut-price offer.
Cifuentes looks like being the last piece in Michael Beale’s midfield after the two winter additions and Kieran Dowell also being announced.
The Gers gaffer will just want to get negotiations like this one finalised so that he can move on to other targets that are maybe needing a bit more work.
Ecuador play their last international fixture of this break on the 21st of June which is when Mr Offsider has suggested the transfer will be concluded.
Despite how many well connected sources say that the deal is all but done, the longer Rangers have to wait, the more nervous fans will get that another team might hijack the deal.
This, after all, is a player who has caught the eye of some clubs with very deep pockets not that long ago and had a reported price tag of £6m on his head.
