While Sam Lammers’ loan stint at FC Utrecht is going rather well—he played with a swagger in his step when he returned to Ibrox after his confidence had crashed—the same cannot be said of the Dutchman’s former Rangers teammate.
A player who signed a £1.2 million contract with Rangers in the last days of the Mick Beale era was shipped out in January after making only nine appearances in the Scottish Premiership. He has yet to make a single start for his new team.
At Cruzeiro, Jose Cifuentes has only been able to make a few cameo appearances, playing an average of 19 minutes per game.
The manager who originally recruited him for the Brazilian team has since been fired, which only serves to further muddle matters. Following the 3-1 loss to Atletico Mineiro in the Campeonato Mineiro (Ole) final, Nicolas Larcamon—who was so full of praise for Cifuentes when he joined Cruzeiro on an initial temporary arrangement in February—paid the ultimate price.
Jose Cifuentes’ sees his Cruzeiro boss sacked
“The transaction is finished. At the conclusion of Jose Cifuentes’ loan, we have the option to buy him. Larcamon stated a few weeks ago, as reported by the Daily Record, “I am confident that will occur.”
“He will be a huge asset to the squad and is a very complete player. Jose’s game is full of attributes. He will also provide aggression to the team and is extremely at ease with the ball.
He will be a huge asset to our midfield. He’ll make a fantastic addition to the team. We intend to include him in the squad as quickly as feasible.
It remains to be seen what impact Larcamon’s departure and the selection of Fernando Seabra as his successor will have on Cifuentes’ aspirations to finalise a permanent move from Ibrox. It’s important to note that, despite Larcamon’s evident adoration for the Ecuadorian international, Cifuentes hasn’t exactly established himself as a mainstay in his starting lineup.
Under Seabra, maybe there will be a few more opportunities.
In the meanwhile, no judgement regarding Cifuentes’ future will be made until at least the summer. The former LAFC player is bound to a loan agreement that expires in December 2024. Rangers might reportedly pay the former star £2.5 million.
Rangers could make a profit
Pedro Martins, the sporting director of Cruzeiro, comments on the Cruzeiro Esporte Club YouTube channel, “Negotiating is part of the game.” Thus, we are assessing each and every scenario (involving our loan players).
The decision to keep Cifuentes will be made in the middle of the year. Additionally, the club is getting ready so that, should it become essential to carry out the purchase alternatives, we can organise ourselves to avoid financially dissolving the club.
“I think that most of the players who were brought in on loan will want to stay,” And in negotiations, that is very important.
In contrast, Lammers’ future seems a little more clear-cut. It is said that Rangers wish to sell. And Utrecht would welcome the possibility to hire him on a long-term basis, money allowed.
