Jose Cifuentes' Rangers future has been thrown into further doubt after Derek McInnes confirmed the midfielder has undergone surgery, casting fresh uncertainty over his prospects of securing a permanent move away from Ibrox this summer.
The Ecuador international has not played a competitive match for Rangers since December 2023 and has spent the past three campaigns out on loan, but none of those temporary spells have resulted in a permanent transfer.
With Cifuentes now entering the final year of his Rangers contract, his latest injury raises the possibility that the club could be left with the midfielder beyond the close of the transfer window.
McInnes confirms Cifuentes surgery
Providing an update on the 27-year-old, McInnes revealed Cifuentes is recovering after an operation.
"Cifuentes has had an operation,” he revealed while providing injury updates on Thelo Aasgaard, Cammy Devlin and Connor Barron ahead of Friday’s Premiership opener away to Dundee United.
McInnes did not put a timeframe on the midfielder's return, but the severity of the injury could have significant implications for both player and club as the summer window enters its decisive weeks.
Rangers still waiting for permanent exit
Cifuentes has endured a frustrating spell since arriving from Los Angeles FC in the summer of 2023.
After falling out of favour, he last represented Rangers in December 2023 before embarking on a series of loan moves designed to revive his career and attract permanent interest.
Spells with Cruzeiro in Brazil, Aris Thessaloniki in Greece and Toronto FC in the MLS have all come and gone without any club taking up an option to buy or pursuing a permanent deal.
Each move offered Cifuentes the opportunity to rebuild his value, but Rangers have yet to receive an offer that would bring his time at Ibrox to an end.
Contract entering final year
Cifuentes now enters the final year of his Rangers contract, leaving the club facing an increasingly difficult situation.
Had the midfielder been fully fit, there remained hope he could secure another move before the transfer deadline.
However, with surgery now sidelining him for an unspecified period, prospective suitors may be reluctant to commit until he has recovered.
That leaves Rangers facing the genuine possibility of retaining a player who has not featured competitively for the club in almost three years, unless his rehabilitation progresses quickly enough to revive interest before the window closes.
McInnes continues to reshape his squad ahead of the new season, but Cifuentes' latest setback has made resolving the midfielder's future considerably more complicated.
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