LAFC are on the verge of signing another top midfielder prospect, Jose Cifuentes. Adding such a high-potential central midfielder only makes the best better.
One of the most exciting rosters in Major League Soccer is about to gain another playmaker. Los Angeles FC have signed Ecuadorian midfielder Jose Cifuentes from CD Universidad Catolica.
The 20-year-old is coming off a fine performance at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and is set to move to his first major global club.
This would be a big signing for LAFC as Cifuentes had reportedly been on the radar of Manchester City during the summer. He has been a highly scouted player and has tremendous potential going forward.
At the U-20 World Cup, Cifuentes made seven appearances for Ecuador as the South American nation finished in third place at the bi-annual competition. He even scored against the United States in the quarter-finals. His performances helped him get his first three senior team appearances for Ecuador during the September and October international breaks.
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The reported transfer fee of $3 million makes sense when the clubs who were scouting him came to the surface. Celtic was another club that appeared interested in the Ecuadorian among others. There’s no doubt LAFC have a top-class prospect headed their way if these clubs were showing interest.
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One can only speculate, but perhaps one reason for his choice of LAFC is the guarantee of playing time. Cifuentes was a regular player in Ecuador’s top flight during 2019. There will certainly be more opportunities for Cifuentes to break into the first team at LAFC then he would get at the bigger clubs he was linked to.
LAFC’s recent acquisition of young players from South America also has to be appealing to a player like Cifuentes. Brian Rodriguez and Diego Rossi are both players who have the capability of making the leap from Major League Soccer to the big European leagues. By playing alongside these two players, who are already being heavily scouted by European teams, Cifuentes can maximize his exposure.
The addition of Cifuentes will also help LAFC to further increase the talent in their midfield. Plenty of clubs were given headaches by the dominant possession LAFC showed during the 2019 season. Cifuentes is only going to make it even more difficult for the opposition in 2020.
Of all the young players entering MLS, Cifuentes has the real possibility of being sold to a bigger club in the future. This could turn out to be one of the top signings of 2020 for not only the immediate future but for plenty of years to come. And for LAFC, the best just get better.