Rangers flop Pena ‘in rehab’

TROUBLED Rangers midfielder Carlos Pena has checked himself into rehab, according to reports in his native Mexico last night. ESPN claim the 28-year-old, who still has two years left on his £20,000-a-week deal at Ibrox, entered the Baja Del Sol clinic in Tijuana owned by boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez. Correspondent Elizabeth Patino claimed Pena was seeking help for his issues. She wrote on Twitter: ‘He joined the rehab clinic two weeks ago on his own account where he hopes to improve in his personal and professional appearance. ‘It is a priority for Carlos to resume his career and be

both 100 per cent personally and professionally...courageous decision.’ Later on, Chavez took to Twitter to confirm he was assisting Pena, stating: ‘I want to report that it is correct @G27Gullit (Pena) decided to go to @bajadelsol in order to face the problem and seize the bull by the horns.’ The 19-times capped Mexico international has endured on and off-field troubles since returning home to team up for a third time with disastrous former Ibrox boss Pedro Caixinha at Cruz Azul. Booed by his own fans for his poor performances since arriving on loan from Rangers in January, Pena was sacked by the Mexican outfit last month. The club cited ‘alcohol abuse’ as the reason after he was caught urinating in a fountain in his team’s hotel. Weeks earlier, the wayward midfielder was criticised for buying a six-pack of beer at a shop outside Cruz Azul’s La Noria complex after a training session while still wearing the club kit. It’s believed Cruz Azul were able to terminate the player’s deal so swiftly because of clauses they had pre-written into Pena’s contract regarding his behaviour while on loan from Scotland. Rangers chairman Dave King insisted earlier this month, however, that the player can’t return to Rangers until January 2019 as part of the deal. Speaking before Pena was axed, Caixinha warned: ‘Carlos should know that, in life, people don’t get a chance like he has had — and certainly not two.’ Pena was signed by Rangers in a £2million deal last summer but flopped spectacularly on the park amid recurring questions over his fitness and attitude. After leaving Glasgow, he enraged Ibrox fans by infamously blowing his nose on a pair of Rangers shorts as a parting gift. Meanwhile, Russell Martin has told Rangers target Connor Goldson he will be entering a whole new world if he seals a move north. Steven Gerrard remains keen to land the 25-year-old Brighton centre-back, with a third offer in the pipeline after two bids worth up to £2million were rejected. Martin would not hesitate to recommend the switch to Goldson despite admitting his recent loan spell at Ibrox from Norwich City coincided with a chaotic period. But he has warned Goldson would need to be prepared for an entirely different level of scrutiny in Glasgow. ‘I don’t think anything can prepare you for it,’ said Martin. ‘It’s huge but it’s only when you go up there that you realise It’s a giant of a club. ‘For me, it was a bit wrong place, wrong time. The club was a bit all over the place, but I loved playing for a club of that size and that support. Every game’s a cup final. ‘Teams are desperate to beat you, so you have to cope with that pressure. It will be different for him but it is some club. ‘If anyone asked me: “Would you sign there?”, I’d always recommend doing it. It’s got everything. It’s just waiting for lift-off.’