Rangers will still be paying half of Carlos Pena’s wages after the Mexican international completes his protracted move to Cruz Azul, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper report that Pena is on the verge of signing for the Liga MX side, with a deal expected within 24 hours that will see the 27-year-old link up with former boss Pedro Caixinha.
The Sun now claim that Rangers will still have to fork out £13,000-a-week for Pena as they pay half his wages during the 12-month loan deal.
Cruz Azul will reportedly have an option to buy Pena at the end of the year-long loan, and their sporting director Eduardo de la Torre suggested they would take it up.
“It will be a loan deal, which we believe is a very favourable one for the club. If the move works out, perhaps it will be permanent. We think that a player at his age has a lot to contribute,” he said.
OPINION
Everyone involved at Rangers will be glad to see the back of one of the club’s most expensive flops of recent times. Pena cost the Light Blues a hefty £2.2million in the summer, and his £26,000-a-week wages are extremely high for the club. The fact that they will still be paying half of that a week over the next year is a kick in the teeth, but probably one that is necessary. Pena is contracted to the club until 2020, and this deal allows them to get rid of his wages two years early if Azul take the option to buy in 12 months.