Let's cast an eye over the tale of Óscar Cortés, a spirited chap of 21 summers, hailing from the vibrant climes of Colombia. Standing 5ft 9in tall (or 1.76m for those more metrically inclined), and tipping the scales at 11st 9lb (74kg if, again, you crave metric), he dons the esteemed, or perhaps not so esteemed, number 7 jersey for Rangers where he plies his trade primarily as a forward on the left wing.
Word on the street, or more specifically according to that font of all knowledge Transfermarkt, holds that his market value is bobbing around the £3m mark. Bear in mind though, clock is ticking on his contract; it's set to fizzle out on the 30th of June, 2025, just 4 more fleeting months.
Now, it wouldn't be a life in football without the obligatory transfers, would it? Our Cortés initially bid adieu to his Colombian home team, Millonarios, in July 2023, mirroring the French exodus to Lens in Ligue 1 for a bargain deal. And by "bargain", we mean an eye-watering sum of around £3.9 million. His stint with Lens, as can often be the case with these arrangements, was brief. He found the back of the net just once, in between clocking up a grand total of 4 first team appearances.
As the clock turned to February 2024, Cortés embarked on the trek from France to the chilly terrains of Scotland, joining Rangers on loan. One wonders if his yearning for empanadas was replaced with a newfound appreciation for our local delicacy, haggis. The season of 2023 - 2024 saw him grace the pitch for 6 first team appearances and, true to form, score one goal for Rangers.
At the start of 2024 - 2025 season, Cortés stepped up his efforts somewhat, even managing to notch up 7 first team appearances. He also partook in the grand spectacle of the League Cup 2024 - 2025, gracing the turf once as a substitute. Well, every little helps as they say.
