Forgotten Mexican midfielder Carlos Pena is set to come back to Rangers after his loan spell in his native land Mexico was cut short. Pena was sent in January to Mexican outfit Cruz Azul and was later moved on to Necaxa and he has been released by the latter because of his off the field issues.
The Gers had signed the 28-year-old midfielder in the summer of 2017 by Pedro Caixinha. However, he clearly seems like a major misfit at the Ibrox.
The player at first was on loan at Cruz Azul where he didn’t find his bearings and was sent to Necaxa after various off the field alcohol-related incidents. The player has even been in a rehab clinic, owned by boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez, to recover from his addiction. However, after having next to no impact, he is being sent back to Glasgow this week.
It is believed that the player checked out from his rehab program two weeks early after insisting he was clean. But Necaxa president decided to cut short his loan spell two months early. Rangers paid a hefty £2.2m to land this Mexican international, and Caixinha still feels that he can deliver the goods if he gets his act together.
Caixinha was quoted as saying,”I hope that when Carlos goes back to Scotland, he can recover his career. He is still not yet 30 and has plenty of time to still have a great career. Carlos has tremendous football potential and he’s a great person. He deserves better and if he asks me for any advice about going back to Rangers I will happily give him some.
“It hurts me to see him in this position because I had the opportunity to bring him to Rangers and then Cruz Azul so I gave him two opportunities. I think there were two difficult moments with him – the first came when he went to Scotland where he had to leave his comfort zone.”
Given the discipline and work ethic which Gerrard has instilled in the current team, Pena doesn’t seem good enough to take on the challenge at Scotland anymore. But as Caixinha mentioned, the midfielder can still turn it around as he should be currently in the prime of his career. The Mexican, after all, has 19 appearances for the national team and has an experience of playing in the World Cup as well.
Therefore counting him out without giving him an opportunity to prove himself would be harsh. However, the midfielder needs to pull his socks if he wants to have any involvement in the first team under Gerrard and it remains to be seen what the future holds for this troubled 28-year-old midfielder.
