---
title: "Profit Players: Carlos Cuellar’s time at Glasgow Rangers was short but sweet"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/gers-ibrox-cuellar-aston-villa/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "jonathan radcliffe"
section: "Features"
published: "2020-05-24T17:30:07Z"
modified: "2020-05-24T17:30:07Z"
---

# Profit Players: Carlos Cuellar’s time at Glasgow Rangers was short but sweet

**This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.**

The 2007/08 season was a magnificent one for Glasgow Rangers.

They [may not have lifted the Premiership trophy](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/glasgow-rangers/platzierungen/verein/124) but they still won both the [Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/rangers-fc/erfolge/verein/124). Their main success, though, was reaching the [UEFA Cup final](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7393752.stm) at the Etihad Stadium. Unfortunately they lost against Zenit St. Petersburg, but it was still a success to make the showpiece and they remain the last Scottish side to reach the final of a European competition.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”293938″\]

That season was Carlos Cuellar’s only year at the club. The central defender was signed for [£2.7m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/carlos-cuellar/profil/spieler/16576) from Spanish side Osasuna in the summer of 2007, where he had made [84](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/carlos-cuellar/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/16576) appearances before making the switch to the 54-time Scottish champions.

He would prove to be a revelation during his one and only campaign north of the border. He played in [55 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/carlos-cuellar/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/16576/plus/0?saison=2007&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) throughout the season, including 36 in the league and all six of their Champions League group stage matches. The ‘Gers conceded just [33](https://thefishy.co.uk/leaguetable.php?table=10&season=5&utm_expid=.IciVGomfQj2dm30tDxbkzA.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F) goals in the league that campaign, the second least behind Celtic, whilst he helped them keep [six](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/carlos-cuellar/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/16576/plus/0?saison=2007&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) clean sheets in nine matches in the UEFA Cup.

\[freshpress-poll id=”298002″\]

His performances soon attracted the attention of clubs in England and it was Aston Villa who captured his signature. They paid [£7.8m](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/carlos-cuellar-to-sign-for-aston-villa-233798) for his services, which represented a £5.1m profit in 12 months, or an increase of 289%. His time at Ibrox may have been short, but it was undoubtedly sweet.

***‘Gers fans, was Cuellar one of the best signings the club has made in the last 20 years? Let us know what you think by commenting below!***