After drawing attention, a European team hopes to renegotiate an agreement to permanently sign the Ecuadorian midfielder.
Rangers have been urged by loan club Aris Thessaloniki to reduce their £4.2 million future transfer price for flop South American player Jose Cifuentes.
The 25-year-old midfielder originally signed a short-term contract with the ambitious Greek team, with the option to purchase at any point for the stated asking amount.
With 13 matches and a fifth-place finish in the Super League, the Ecuadorian international has been an outstanding player for Aris. But because they think the sum is too excessive, they have now started talks with the Gers to change the player’s original contract.
According to Greek reports, Aris reached out to Ibrox leaders last week to enquire about the possibility of a new deal. Cifuentes has left Glasgow twice this year; in February, he returned across the Atlantic to secure a loan deal with Cruzeiro, a Brazilian team.
However, that decision backfired, as Cifuentes only made three competitive starts before being cut from the first squad. Before leaving again for Aris, he made a brief trip to Govan during the summer, and his time in Greece has been far more productive.
When Cifuentes joined Rangers from MLS team Los Angeles FC in a £1.2 million transfer last summer, former manager Michael Beale said he would bring “real quality” to the team. However, in his 20 games in Scotland, that never materialised.
Even though he has two and a half years left on his Gers contract, Aris manager Akis Mantzios sees him as a vital element of his team moving forward. It is believed that the Greeks are now paying a portion of his weekly salary of £16,000, and the Light Blues may be open to making a concession on a sale since they still stand a chance of making money.
