Toronto FC adds Ecuador midfielder Jose Cifuentes on loan from Scotland’s Rangers

By Canadian Press on August 22, 2025.

TORONTO — Toronto FC continued its rebuild Friday, acquiring Ecuador international José Cifuentes on loan from Glasgow Rangers.

The loan agreement runs through June 30, 2026, with a purchase option.

“We are delighted to welcome José to Toronto FC,” Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez said in a statement. “Cifu will be a welcomed addition to our midfield as he has already proven his ability to deliver at an elite level in MLS. His skill set will complement our current group and serve as an important piece of our team as we continue to build for the future.”

In bringing the 26-year-old Cifuentes in, Toronto is offering the defensive midfielder a new start after a recent stop-and-start soccer journey. He also fills the gap left by the recent sale of Honduran international Deybi Flores to to Al-Najma SC of the Saudi Pro League.

Cifuentes joined Rangers in August 2023 from Los Angeles FC, signing a four-year deal with the Scottish club. Brought in by manager Michael Beale, who was fired two months later, the Ecuadorian failed to establish himself with Rangers, with loans spell at Brazil’s Cruzeiro and Greece’s Aris.

The midfielder joined Cruzeiro in February 2024, returning six months later when he was shipped to Aris on a season-long loan with an option to buy. The Greek club did not take up the option and Cifuentes returned to Rangers this summer.

Cifuentes made 20 appearances for Rangers across all competitions, with the Scottish Sun newspaper calling him “a virtual outcast” with the team.

Cifuentes cost Rangers a reported 1.2 million pounds ($2.24 million). He had signed a pre-contract agreement to join the Scottish club after the 2023 MLS season, at the end of his LAFC contract, but ended up leaving mid-season after a transfer fee was agreed.

Cifuentes earned US$411,750 in 2022, the last year he is listed on the MLS Players Association salary list.

In his 3 1/2 seasons with LAFC, Cifuentes recorded 15 goals and 20 assists through 121 appearances across all competitions. In July 2023, Cifuentes became the fourth player in LAFC’s history to reach 100 MLS regular season games and one of just 10 players in MLS history to reach the milestone in their first four seasons before turning 25.

The Ecuadorian also helped LAFC to the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in 2022.

The move is the latest by Hernandez as he tries to turn Toronto around. TFC, which has not made the playoffs since 2020, sits 12th in the Eastern Conference, 16 points below the playoff line at 5-13-8.

In addition to Flores, Toronto has traded away wingback Tyrese Spicer (Orlando City) and midfielder Matty Longstaff (CF Montreal) while signing U.S. international attacker Djordje Mihailovic on a transfer worth up to US$9 million from the Colorado Rapids.

Those trades, along with a series of deals involving selling international roster slots, have netted TFC up to US$1.65 million in general allocation money, which allows teams to ‘buy down” salary cap charges.

Cifuentes, came to MLS in January 2020 from América de Quito on a deal using targeted allocation money.

The five-foot-nine defensive midfielder from Esmeralda, Ecuador, began his career in 2016 with CD Universidad Catolica, playing in six matches before his transfer to CD America.

Cifuentes, who made his senior international debut in a friendly against Peru in September 2019, has earned 21 caps for Ecuador including two games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. At youth level, Cifuentes helped Ecuador win the 2019 South American U-20 Championship and finish third at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.

Cifuentes is the fourth player on loan to TFC this season, joining Norwegian forward Ola Brynhildsen (FC Midtjylland, Denmark), Canadian winger Theo Corbeanu (Granada CF, Spain) and attacking midfielder Maxime Dominguez (Vasco da Gama, Brazil).

The latest loan deal was completed Thursday before the close of Major League Soccer’s secondary transfer window and announced Friday morning.

The five-foot-10 154-pounder will wear No. 8 for Toronto, following in the footsteps of Victor Vasquez, Benoit Cheyrou, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Mark Delgado, Kyle Bekker and Longstaff.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2025.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press