As Rangers reportedly close in on a move for Ecuadorean international Jose Cifuentes, previous links to the Premier League and Manchester City give an insight into the midfielder’s pedigree.
Reports coming out of the player’s homeland have suggested that a deal for the 24-year-old LAFC star is “95% complete” with Rangers reportedly pipping some top teams to his signature.
The deal, it is being said, will go through after LAFC play their two-legged CONCACAF Champions League Final against Mexican outfit Leon, due to be completed on June 5th.
The likes of Brighton and Leeds United have been linked heading into this transfer window, with Jose Cifuentes‘s contract up in the MLS come the end of the year and the summer window a vital one for all parties.
Newcastle United are another side who were linked more recently, with the Toon mentioned alongside Cifuentes as early as last summer in the Sun, who valued the midfielder at £6m.
But it’s those Manchester City links to Cifuentes that will have Rangers fans turning their heads, with the midfielder reportedly an Etihad target in 2019 during his time in Ecuador with America de Quito.
Jose Cifuentes was once a Man City target
While the midfielder also appeared to confirm interest from Old Firm rivals Celtic back then, Cifuentes claimed that Manchester City were a legitimate transfer option.
“My aim is to play in Europe,” said Cifuentes. “I don’t know which club I will sign for yet – either Manchester City or Celtic.
“Nothing has been decided yet.
“I deserve my opportunity to play in Europe, it’s where I have to be. And my mentality is that I am going to be in Europe for a long time.”
The fact that City were seemingly so far down the line in their scouting of the player shows that Rangers would be getting someone with substantial talent in Cifuentes.
Rangers may be about to pull off major coup
Mentions of Benfica are also of genuine interest and suggest that, as Rangers close in on Cifuentes, the club’s recruitment deserve kudos for striking a deal.
Instead moving to LAFC and the USA in 2020, the midfielder now seems ready for his dream move to Europe and, in the process, looks set to become one of Ecuador’s highest-paid players.
Let’s hope Cifuentes hits the ground running at Rangers and shows everyone exactly why City were being linked to him only a few years ago.
