Rangers head coach Michael Beale recently said that the club are ‘confident enough’ of securing a transfer for midfielder Jose Cifuentes before the start of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership season, according to a tweet by The Rangers Review.

Rangers have been in pursuit of Cifuentes, who currently plays for Los Angeles FC, for several months now – they have reportedly agreed terms with the player, but have yet to reach a deal with LAFC.

The Light Blues have already added players to their squad such as Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers and Leon Balogun over the course of the summer transfer window – could Cifuentes be their next acquisition?

What did Michael Beale have to say regarding the possible transfer of Jose Cifuentes?

On the potential transfer move for the Ecuadorian, Beale said [via RangersNews.uk]: “Cifuentes, again, is a player that we like. We’re hoping that that one is one that can be moved on. I think we need to bring one more midfielder in.

“He’s powerful, he works the corridor. He can play deeper or he can play as an eight and make the box as well but until he’s here, these things can take a twist and a turn.”

What will Jose Cifuentes add to the Rangers squad?

Cifuentes, should the Gers manage to secure a deal for the player, will be an excellent addition to their squad. He will add two attributes that Rangers are currently lacking in the middle of the park – versatility and creativity.

Not only is a he a hard-working player, Cifuentes can also back it up with stellar passing and split-second decision making. His skillset is perfect for the modern game, where midfielders are required to move the ball around very quickly.

As things stand, Rangers only have three cereal midfielders that will be available for selection on the first day of the season – John Lundstram, Nicolas Raskin and Ryan Jack. Glen Kamara can also play in this position, but he is more comfortable in defensive midfield.

As such, Cifuentes will add some much-needed depth in this position – especially with Steven Davis and Nnamdi Ofoborh looking unlikely to be ready to play.