The remarkable Oscar Cortes to Rangers story told by his biggest fan as the 'The Magician' uncloaked

Incoming Rangers star Oscar Cortes' journey to Ibrox started with him playing barefoot football and the need to work at a young age to offset poverty, according to his cousin.

He's revealed how the wide man had to flee his hometown to escape the violence that engulfed it in order to live his dream as a pro player. The Lens winger is on the verge of becoming Philippe Clement's third Rangers signing of the January window. He's on the move after accepting that a summer switch from homeland club Millonarios to the Ligue 1 outs hasn't worked out, and a loan deal with an option to buy will see him join Fabio Silva and Mohamed Diomande in the Gers ranks.

Cousin and best friend, Emmanuel Cortes explained the hardship the 20-year-old Cortes endured while growing up in a town near the southwestern Colombian port city of Tumaco and his He said: "We grew up in a village called Candelilla. Football was basically the only way to avoid armed violence and joining a gang. At every available space, he was out barefoot playing football.

"There are not many resources there and every morning, Oscar and his family members got up at 5 am to sell cocoa at farms or bananas. Our environment was not good because we were surrounded by violence and illegal groups. The choice was to study, work in palm trees, join an armed gang or play football. He chose football.

"He made great sacrifices and went hungry many times. That was one of the things that strengthened Oscar a lot. Going through so much hunger, so much thirst, so many setbacks in life, it made him strong.

"From an early age, Oscar was a boy that you could see had a lot of talent. At the time, he didn't have any football boots or even shoes to play with. But he didn't care. All he wanted to