Jose Cifuentes has spoken about his exit from Rangers to Cruzeiro. The Ecuadorian left Ibrox on loan in January to the Brazilian outfit, six months after arriving from the MLS. Cifuentes’ impact on the Rangers first team was limited and he said of the January transfer window: “There were two Russian teams who wanted to sign me. However, with the war that is going on there, it was something that could not be carried out because European teams are not allowed to receive money from Russian clubs at the moment I think. There was a team from the English Championship interested and a club from Turkey too. But it would have been a loan for five months which meant uprooting from family again after they had already had to adapt to Scotland, which would have been a problem. So I had to make the best decision for them and that’s why I’m here in Brazil. I made my debut for Cruzeiro last week and it was sunny. I didn’t experience the sun for the six months I was with Rangers. It was always cold. But my fitness is good and I think I will adapt here easily. I like to play as an attacking midfielder, but positioning is something that I adapt to the team for who I am playing.” Striker Sydney van Hooijdonk, who was linked with a move to Celtic in the January transfer window, has revealed that he did not hold talks with the Scottish champions during the winter. The 24-year-old Dutchman – son of ex-Celtic forward Pierre – left Bologna to join Norwich City on loan and speaking on the speculation around him, Van Hooijdonk said: “To be honest, I didn’t speak with Celtic this winter. You see a lot of things, but this winter, I didn’t speak with them. Yes, last summer, there was a bit. It is a lovely club, and I am a fan of them as well, but the Championship and a team that is fighting for the play-offs was really nice. This league is at a higher level than that league, so I’m really happy to be here.”

Rangers legend Barry Ferguson says he has been forced to eat humble pie over his original thoughts on goalkeeper Jack Butland joining the Ibrox club. The England goalkeeper joined Rangers on a free transfer during the summer and has been one of the club’s stand-out performers this season, enhancing his credentials even further with an excellent save during Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Kilmarnock. Writing in his Daily Record column, Ferguson said: “I first met Jack when he was a youngster coming through at Birmingham City and we could all see his potential for one so young. I kept an eye on him ever since because you want to see these guys do well. And when Rangers signed him last summer I admit, there was a question mark in my mind because he hadn’t played much football over the previous couple of years at the likes of Crystal Palace and Manchester United. I wondered if things might have gone off track. But, after just seven months at Ibrox, I have no such doubts in my mind. In fact, I’m not afraid to say Butland is right up there with Goram, Klos and McGregor as one of the best Rangers keepers I’ve seen in my lifetime.” Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is glad to be back in action as the cinch Premiership title run-in starts to hot up. The 26-year-old has been in and out of the squad with hamstring problems all season after missing the end of the previous campaign through knee surgery. He came on as a second-half substitute against Motherwell at Fir Park at the weekend after missing a month out with his most recent problem. Reinstated into the starting line-up against Dundee at Celtic Park on Wednesday night, Carter-Vickers began the rout of the Taysiders with the opening goal in a 7-1 thumping – his first counter since March last year – which kept Brendan Rodgers’ men two points behind league leaders Rangers. The United States international said: “It’s been frustrating for myself being in and out with injuries. I’m hoping I can stay fit and help the team achieve things. I just did the rehab as well as I could. I got 30 minutes at the weekend plus 60 minutes against Dundee. So that helps. I’m hopefully building my way back into it. It’s the same hamstring, on the right side and same side as my knee. It’s probably the first time in my career that I’ve had a season like this where I’ve been injured so much. But I think if you’re looking to have a long career then you’re going to have a season like that or two. So you’ve just got to get on with it.” Ricki Lamie knows he and his Dundee team-mates face a big test of character on Saturday after their Celtic Park nightmare. However, the 30-year-old defender is taking some encouragement from their second-half display after conceding six goals in a horror first half on Wednesday night. Tony Docherty’s men were facing an utter humiliation at half-time so a 7-1 defeat was not the worst-case scenario by any means, especially after seeing Finlay Robertson sent off in the 76th minute. Ahead of Saturday’s visit of Kilmarnock, Lamie said: “At half-time, everybody talks about character and personality, it was personal pride really, for me anyway. The gaffer touched upon it, ‘go out and try and win the second half’. Again, it’s even harder again with 10 men. When they are five or six goals to the good, it’s probably fair to say they maybe weren’t as at it as they were in the first half, but I thought we showed a wee bit of personality. It’s just down to pride. You can come out and go through the motions, but to go out and ask a couple of questions, it was a great finish from Micky (Mellon). Not that it means a lot, but in terms of having that bit about us, I think that’s another positive to take on a poor night.”

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