Michael Beale has confirmed Rangers are working hard on a deal to secure £15M midfielder Jose Cifuentes from LAFC, as the Ibrox side close in on securing the Ecuador international.
Gone are the days of ‘I don’t like to talk about another team’s player’-speak which former managers used to use, instead Michael Beale has opted to announce officially that Rangers are strongly in the hunt for the MLS star.
He said:
“Cifuentes is again a player we like and we hope that’s one that can be moved on. I think we need to bring in one more midfielder. He’s powerful, he works the corridor, he can play deep or he can play as an eight.”
This is definitely a player we want over the line, and from what we understand the fee is agree, and it’s complications in paperwork that are holding this up.
It’s a more complex deal because of visas and permits, and this is naturally an issue for players outwith of Europe – despite Brexit making things a little tricker to sign even those from the continent, nevertheless signing players from the Americas is even tougher and Cifuentes as a Ecuador national and currently plying his trade in the MLS does make it even more difficult.
But this is absolutely a player Rangers are working on and if Beale secures his man and gets the deal over the Ibrox line that’s midfield finished, aside any potential departures.
That would see John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Jose Cifuentes, Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell as Rangers’ engine room for the new season. Maybe lacking on big tough enforcer type or a blatant ‘Barry Ferguson’ in there, but it’s definitely not bad.
Hopefully this contract can be sealed soon.