Carlos Cuellar: I loved my time at Ibrox.. and I'd love to go back

Carlos Cuellar last night opened the door to a stunning return to Rangers by insisting he is "excited" by the prospect of signing for Ally McCoist.

Record Sport revealed exclusively yesterday how McCoist plans to open dialogue this week to determine whether or not he might be able to tempt the Spaniard back across the border from Aston Villa - three years after Cuellar quit Ibrox for the Premiership side.

And yesterday the 29-year-old centre half spoke exclusively to this paper to tell the truth behind his decision to leave in the first place - and to stress that he would not hesitate if Villa give him their blessing to go back.

Cuellar has fallen out of the top-team picture in the Midlands after managing just 10 league starts last season.

Now, with only one year remaining on his contract and with the club currently head hunting a third new manager in 12 months, the former Osasuna stopper believes his time at Villa Park might be up.

McCoist has identified him as a ready-made replacement for the perennially unsettled Algerian Madjid Bougherra, who seems certain to move on this summer.

Cuellar said: "Obviously I have to find out what Villa want me to do but I'm very surprised to hear that Rangers want me back. A lot of people have been talking about it on the internet and on Twitter saying, 'I want Carlos back - or Carlos has to be here'.

"It's exciting because Rangers, for me, has so many good memories.

"It's exciting if there is a possibility to go back because all of those good memories come back - the city, the club, the people, how much they loved me and how much I loved them.

"Then there is the Champions League and the chance to win trophies again. Who wouldn't be excited about something like that?"

McCoist is determined to use new owner Craig Whyte's cash injection to bolster his defensive options and Cuellar's name is top of his list.

A fee of around s2million has been placed on Cuellar's head after recent speculation linking him with La Liga rivals Villarreal and Espanyol but Rangers could also attempt to strike a year-long loan deal for the player whom they sold to Villa for s7.8m in the summer of 2008.

And McCoist's part in any talks could prove crucial as Cuellar makes up his mind.

He said: "I had a good relationship with Ally McCoist. He is a great personality and I think it would be good fun to work under him as manager. But that doesn't mean it would be one big joke.

"The thing about Ally is that he knows how to separate the jokes from the work. I saw that in my time in Glasgow. I think he will make an excellent Rangers manager."

McCoist has also opened talks with Liverpool after 19-year-old Danny Wilson was made available for a season long loan deal, a year after leaving Rangers for Anfield.

And in the next 24 hours the new Rangers boss is expected to speak in person with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to find out if the Frenchman would be prepared to strike a similar deal to let Kyle Bartley return for another 12 months in Glasgow.

But with Bougherra on his way out and Davie Weir out of contract and undecided over his future, McCoist is desperate to recruit more experienced campaigners for the heart of his defence.