£1.2m Rangers flop may never be seen in a Gers shirt again.

The appointment of Philippe Clement in mid-October has prevented Glasgow Rangers from having a season of mediocrity, regardless of what transpires between now and the end of the season.

Under Michael Beale, the Light Blues dropped three of their first seven Premiership games and even found themselves eight points behind Celtic in September, giving the impression that the season had over before it had really started.

The Englishman was fired after a humiliating 3-1 loss to Aberdeen; two weeks later, Clement took over as manager, and the team hasn’t looked back.

The 49-year-old manager has given them a steeliness that could give them the advantage over Celtic, despite the fact that he has had to use virtually the same collection of players that Beale had at his disposal. This has made his achievement all the more astonishing.

He could lead the Gers to many more trophies because of his actions during the January transfer window, where he signed three players who have all had a major influence thus far.

Whom the Rangers acquired in the winter

Clement needed to bolster the team, so he recruited Mohamed Diomande (a loan with an obligation to buy), Oscar Cortes (a loan with an option to buy), and Fabio Silva (a loan). To put it mildly, they were inspired moves.

The three have already netted six goals for the team, and Diomande appears to be bound for glory, which will probably result in significant financial gain for the Light Blues in the years to come.

Although Clement was eager to add players, he was also anxious to reduce the roster, which meant letting go of those players who weren’t really needed.

Sam Lammers, who has only scored twice since joining from Atalanta last summer, was sent to FC Utrecht on loan, although this was to be expected following a miserable half-year for the team.

But moving on from Jose Cifuentes was maybe unexpected, especially considering how little time he had to make a lasting impression on Clement or Beale.

The reasons behind Jose Cifuentes’ loan out

With the addition of Diomande and the injuries sustained by Nico Raskin, Ryan Jack, and Tom Lawrence, it was obvious that someone would have to leave to prevent a position that was so crowded and competitive.

The Ecuadorian midfielder ultimately signed a 12-month loan agreement with Cruzeiro, a Brazilian team, earlier this month. There is a buyout option, and a return to South America might help the player find his finest form.

Now that everything has been signed and finalized, it appears like the midfielder’s time at Ibrox will come to an end as he attempts to launch his career in Brazil.

Jose Cifuentes’s performance prior to the Rangers

The 24-year-old had been a crucial member of Los Angeles FC for the previous three years, having played in over 100 games for the team. Cifuentes ultimately led the team to triumph in the 2022 season when they won the title.

The midfielder contributed seven goals and six assists in 36 MLS games in 2022, and these were vital in the team’s championship victory.

With these stats, he was placed third in the league among all players. Throughout the season, he showed a great deal of attacking energy, ranking second for major chances created (11), fourth for crucial passes per game (1.3), and third for successful dribbles per game (1.5).

Beale was certainly drawn to these performances, and the club’s midfield options should have been much increased by acquiring a player of Cifuentes’ caliber.

Sadly, despite the South American’s success in the United States, things haven’t quite turned out that way. This is just another instance of the Gers investing money in a player without getting much in return.

Rangers statistics for Jose Cifuentes

Beale had Cifuentes on his radar as the summer transfer season approached its closing stages. Because Cifuentes’s contract with LAFC expires in December 2023, he was able to get his services for a reduced price of just £1.2 million.

But under Beale, the Ecuadorian made just nine starts as the team struggled to start their Premiership season and lost in the final of the Champions League.

It was unexpected that the midfielder found it difficult to catch up during games, particularly in Scotland, and that he was frequently wasteful when in control of the ball given that he had left LAFC in the middle of their season.

It is understandable that new recruits need time to adjust to their new environment, particularly when moving from Hollywood to Glasgow, but the player didn’t seem right.

The £16,000-a-week earner had only made 20 appearances by the time he left the team, only 14 of which were starts. A new start may be very beneficial for him.

With just two huge chances created, an average of 0.6 critical passes per game, and one assist in his nine Premiership games for the Gers, the former LAFC maestro failed to exhibit the offensive prowess that made him such a great star in America.

Along with ranking 14th for accurate long balls per game (1.1) and a pitiful 25th for successful dribbles per game (0.1), the midfielder’s accurate pass rate in the top flight was only seventh among his teammates at 37.3. This final statistic shows a significant decline from his dribbling success in the 2022 MLS season.

Arriving from the Major League Soccer, some players flourish, while others frequently find the physicality of Scottish football too much to handle, especially since they aren’t given as much time on the ball as they would be elsewhere.

Without a question, Cifuentes is a technically brilliant player, but Rangers did not fit his style of play, thus Clement did the best thing by getting rid of him as soon as possible to allow him to reach his full potential.

Cifuentes may have played his final game for the Rangers, but who knows? Maybe he’ll bring back a better player. Diomande appears to be a big asset.