Jefte Rangers transfer U-turn after 'pact' as APOEL chief reveals defender stay plan

Jefte has reportedly told APOEL president Prodromos Petrides that he wants to STAY in Cyprus despite a handshake agreement with Rangers in place.

The Brazilian full-back was on the verge of a move to Ibrox back in January as they sought a new left-back but his parent club Fluminese could not strike a deal with the loan side he'd been playing for. APOEL wanted a cut of the deal to allow him to leave their care early but that wasn't agreed on.

It then emerged that Jefte and Fluminese had agreed to a future move to Rangers under Philippe Clement and a "pact" had been made to honour the eventual move.

But now, Petrides claims the defender is actually hoping to renege on that deal in a bid to broker a stay in the Cypriot First Division.

He told Super Sport FM : "No, it's not forbidden. Just with the financial tightness that we have now - look, we're doing everything we can to secure a deal to stay.

"He's already sold, let me put it this way. We have suggestions (for Fluminese). We want to let him stay, we want to buy him."