Jose Cifuentes could be on the verge of leaving the Rangers this month.
If the current rumors are accurate, Glasgow Rangers appear to be having a successful final few days of the January transfer window.
First, Fabricio Romano said that the Brazilian left-back Jefte from Fluminense has agreed to join the Gers. Philippe Clement is hoping to strengthen the team’s left defense, and Romano believes Jefte will be a great addition.
Second, Rangers Review writer Chris Jack claims that the Belgian is getting closer to making a deal for Oscar Cortes, a talented young player from Colombia. This is just another instance of enticing a gifted player to Ibrox.
The 49-year-old may also be looking to trade a player or two before deadline day on Thursday in order to free up some cash, and it appears that a summer arrival may put an early end to his time in Glasgow.
Possible exits before to the cutoff
Last week, amid all the speculation about possible arrivals at Ibrox, there was also some news concerning departures.
It appeared as though Jose Cifuentes’ time in Scotland was coming to an end before it truly took off when Turkish team Rizespor reportedly made a loan offer to sign him for a season-long stint that would go until the conclusion of the season before perhaps triggering a £2 million option to buy clause.
But according to a scenario update provided by journalist Derek Clark, the midfield player is not interested in moving to Turkey this month. The story is not over yet. Journalist Alan Nixon has now asserted that Cifuentes has been given permission by the Ibrox side to talk to Cruzeiro, a Brazilian team, about a loan move.
Even though the transfer window is almost over and there may still be a lot of twists and turns, it appears that the Colombian player is getting close to finalizing his departure from the team.
Even though Mohammed Diomande just joined the team this month, is Clement planning to pursue another midfield player?
Rangers’ pursuit of fresh acquisitions
Following the loan signing of Fabio Silva from Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of December, the following few weeks saw a dearth of other new players.
There were a lot of connections, and early in the transfer window, Belgian news source DH Les Sports reported that Clement was interested in Steven Alzate.
The midfield player’s contract with Premier League team Brighton & Hove Albion expires at the end of the current campaign, however he is presently on loan at Standard Liege.
In an attempt to bring Clement to Ibrox, this might persuade him to agree to a bargain fee with the Seagulls.
In addition, both Ryan Jack and John Lundstram have contracts that expire at the end of current campaign, and based on recent developments over his future, it appears that Cifuentes will be traded sooner rather than later.
Even if Rangers should trade for Alzate before the end of January, they still need another center forward.
The figures from Jose Cifuentes’ Rangers career
After making an impact while on loan at Los Angeles FC, Cifuentes was anticipated to bolster Rangers’ midfield upon his arrival.
It didn’t exactly go as planned, though, as the Colombian struggled to establish any kind of continuity under either Clement or Michael Beale, making just 11 starts in the first half of the season.
The Ecuadorian did manage to produce two major opportunities and average an 87% pass success rate per match throughout his six Premiership starts, but it appears that Clement prefers other players.
Undoubtedly, Cifuentes is a superb midfield player, as seen by his performances for LAFC in the Major League Soccer, but Scottish football has a completely distinct style.
If he does leave this month, the Ibrox supporters will wish him well on his departure, but it may also allow the former AS Monaco coach permission to sign Alzate.
Why the Rangers would want to sign Steven Alzate
The midfielder has first-hand experience playing in the Premier League, having appeared 43 times for Brighton between 2019 and 2021. Although playing in one of the top leagues in the continent is not a need for success north of the border, it does assist.
The 25-year-old, who fell out of favor at the south coast side during the 2022–2023 campaign, moved to Standard Liege on loan and showed he could be a valuable player anywhere he played, tallying three goals and dishing out five assists in just 27 league games.
When compared to his teammates, he has nevertheless impressed for the Belgian team despite missing a few games this season due to injuries.
Alzate has excelled in a variety of performance metrics, as evidenced by the fact that he is presently placed fourth among the Standard squad for big chances created (two), third for accurate passes per game (42.6), and first for tackles per game (2.2).
It appears that Clement may be able to sign a midfielder who can dictate play and create opportunities for his teammates in addition to someone who can handle midfield defensive responsibilities.
During his time on the south coast, journalist Josh Bunting praised the Colombian player who was born in London, saying: “Steven Alzate superb again for Brighton, he is so creative, brings so much energy into the game.”
Despite the fact that the Gers appear to have an abundance of midfield players, the injury crisis that transpired before Christmas shows that there can never be too much depth, and it is evident that the manager is looking ahead.
In the event that Alzate’s trade falls through this month, the Gers ought to make every effort to lock him down to a pre-contract deal in time for the 2024–2025 campaign so they can start assembling their roster in advance.
After bringing in Silva to open the transfer window, the Light Blues might close it out strong. These additions could mean the difference between winning the league title and coming in second place once more.
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