Jose Cifuentes given Rangers running brief as Michael Beale demands different from Jack and Kamara combo

Rangers fans got a first glimpse of Jose Cifuentes in a 13-minute cameo in the Champions League victory over Servette.

It was enough to convince Barry Ferguson – writing in his Record Sport column – that the Ecuador international has the star quality to handle the limelight on one of Scottish football’s great stages. The former Rangers captain should certainly know having been one of the greatest to ever play that role.

But Cifuentes, a £1.2million summer signing from the showbiz heartlands of Los Angeles, is now set to take centre stage today when Livingston visit. In a top-billing move Michael Beale will cast the 24-year-old right into the heart of his midfield for the first time since beating stiff competition to attract him to Glasgow. And he is confident his new recruit has all the characteristics to not only win over the punters fearing a repeat of last season’s movie after an opening day loss at Kilmarnock – but to be a lead part in driving Rangers on to a new level.

Beale said: “He’s playing on Saturday. I want more power in our No.8 positions. I want people to run forward from those positions.

“This is not the Rangers team that we built previously when the midfielders covered in other areas, I want them to run forward. Jose didn’t train until Friday of last week, he had a bit of jet-lag and I just put him in the squad so he could get a feel for the stadium and a feel for Scottish football.

“I feel he’s a lot more settled this week. I thought he had a good cameo when he came on the other night so he will come in. He’s powerful and he can run forward from that area.

“Kieran Dowell gives us that as well. Maybe previously we were used to a Glen Kamara or a Ryan Jack sitting in those areas.

“But I don’t want that.