AliousFormer Rangers star Carlos Cuellar has revealed that a much-anticipated return to Ibrox in 2011 fell apart, despite the transfer being virtually finalized.
The Spanish defender, who was a standout performer during his sole season in Glasgow in 2007/08, was eager to rejoin the club after being informed he was not in Aston Villa’s plans. Cuellar played a crucial role in Rangers’ journey to the UEFA Cup final under Walter Smith, while also helping them secure the Scottish Cup and League Cup. His performances even earned him the club’s Player of the Year award before he moved to the English Premier League.
Three years later, Cuellar was set for a comeback, with Rangers among several clubs interested in securing his signature. However, just as the deal was nearing completion, an untimely injury derailed the move.
Speaking to *The Scottish Sun*, the 43-year-old explained: *“I wanted to go back. But that summer, I suffered a knee injury. It wasn’t a major issue—just the meniscus—but it meant I would be sidelined for about two months.”*
At the time, Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish had made it clear that Cuellar was not part of his long-term plans, prompting the defender to seek a move elsewhere. Rangers were keen on bringing him back, but the timing proved problematic.
*“In the beginning, there were other teams interested, and Rangers were one of them. But they needed a centre-back immediately. Since they were competing in Europe and the domestic league was about to start, they couldn’t afford to wait a month and a half for me to recover,”* Cuellar explained.
Ultimately, the delay forced Rangers to look elsewhere, and Cuellar’s dream of a return to Ibrox was never realized. He admitted that had he been fit, the transfer would have been completed without hesitation. *“If I was ready to play, I would have gone the next day because the deal was already done,”* he added.
Alious
