Jose Cifuentes is closing in on an exit from Rangers – but there is some conjecture over the fees involved.
The Ecuadorean international midfielder, 25, was signed during the ill-fated reign of Michael Beale and is one of a number of 2023 summer signings which patently did not work.
Joining late on last summer from LAFC, Rangers reportedly paid around £1m for the services of Jose Cifuentes in what was an initially exciting deal.
Having played at the Qatar World Cup with his country, there were high hopes Rangers were signing an international player with high potential resale value.
But from the off Jose Cifuentes struggled to adapt to life in Scotland, with a combination of the weather and the style of football limiting the midfielder.
One year on from the initial transfer, Jose Cifuentes is now closing in on a loan move to Greece but a report in Ecuador has cast doubts surrounding the widely reported compulsory purchase option.
Cifuentes ‘purchase clause’ cut in half
Jose Cifuentes didn’t last long at Rangers before being farmed back to South America.
The midfielder made only 20 appearances for the Gers before negotiating a loan exit to Brazilian side Cruzeiro.
But it didn’t happen for Jose in Belo Horizonte either and, only six months into a year-long loan deal, the midfielder is on the move again.
It’s been widely reported that Jose Cifuentes is closing in on a more to Aris Thessaloniki but the initial price tag attached to the deal has turned heads.
Reports in Greece have claimed that Aris have a compulsory €5m (£4.2m) Cifuentes purchase clause attached to the deal.
But that’s not the figure being reported in Ecuador, with South American publication Studio Fútbol suggesting the figure is less than half of that.
In a report co-authored by Ecuadorean journalist Cesar Luis Merlo, it’s claimed that Aris hold a €2.4m (£2m) option-to-buy on Cifuentes next summer.
Rangers manager talks Cifu exit
Whilst Rangers fans might not want to hear it, this is certainly a more realistic proposal surrounding Jose Cifuentes this summer.
The suggestion that the Gers might’ve recouped north of £4m for a player who has struggled to make an impact at his last two clubs was verging on fantasy.
Whilst we’re hoping that the crucial difference between a compulsory purchase clause and an option-to-buy have been lost in translation, the situation is likely to be confirmed when the transfer is confirmed.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement was asked about the future of Jose Cifuentes after the midfielder was pictured at a Greek airport.
Whilst all the sounds suggest a deal is nearing completion, the Rangers boss was hesitant to describe any transfer as done until it is official.
“I see everything’s in the newspapers,” said Clement ahead of the clash with Dynamo Kiev. “I didn’t hear anything that something is done with somebody, and that’s a pity.
“We have several here still in the building, or like Cifu not in the building, and because of that it stops also to get other players.
“But for the moment I didn’t hear that somebody is officially going somewhere else.”
Jose Cifuentes signed a four-year deal at Rangers last summer and was part of the ill-judged £21m backing of Michael Beale.
