Jose Cifuentes’ agent given VIP tour of Rangers training base as Premier League clubs ‘scout’ Celtic defender

Celtic are finalising preparation to take on St Mirren at Parkhead on Saturday, while Rangers face Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday.

Meanwhile, transfer news stories continue to bubble away in the background. Here is the latest headlines for both Glasgow clubs on Friday, May 19:

Premier League clubs ‘scout’ Celtic defender

Highly-rated Celtic youngster Mitchel Frame has reportedly been scouted by English Premier League duo Brighton and Crystal Palace on international duty.

The 17-year-old defender has starred for the Hoops Under-18 side and was a standout performer in the Youth Cup Final win over Rangers earlier this month.

Frame, who played for Scotland Under-17s in Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to France and set up the consolation goal for ex-Rangers striker Rory Wilson, is in the first year of his professional contract and it would take a sizeable development fee to lure him away from Parkhead.

According to the Daily Record, the left-back was watched by the Seagulls and Palace during the match and are expected to do so again when the Scots face Portugal and Germany in the coming days.

Cifuentes’ agent given VIP tour of Rangers training base

Rangers have given summer transfer target Jose Cifuentes’ representatives a VIP tour of the club’s Auchenhowie training base, according to a report.

The Ecuador international midfielder has been interacting with Gers fans on social media ahead of a possible move to Govan after liking a series of messages from supporters asking if he was signing for the club. The Scottish Sun now claim the 24-year-old’s agent Stefan Jarrin was a recent guest of the club during last weekend’s Glasgow derby win over Celtic.

Jarrin was invited in to the directors’ box at Ibrox alongside fellow boardroom guests Chris Woods and John Carver and provided his business contacts on LinkedIn with an update on his client’s potential new surroundings.

Los Angeles star Cifuentes is out of contract in November but the MLS club would like to cash in this summer rather than losing him on a free transfer later this year. It appears Rangers have stolen a march on French side Toulouse and his impending move could be finalised soon.

Speaking in 2019, Cifuentes admitted he was keen to sign for Celtic, stating: “My aim is to play in Europe. I don’t know which club I will sign for yet - either Manchester City or Celtic. Nothing has been decided yet. I deserve my opportunity to play in Europe, it’s where I have to be.

“And my mentality is that I am going to be in Europe for a long time. I have spent a lot of time studying and they taught me many things, inclduing English which I now understand better. To become a great footballer, I must learn languages and not just English. The studying has helped me on and off the pitch because I now believe I make decisions faster.”