Rangers Ianis Hagi latest newsIanis Hagi is stuck on 99 Rangers appearances – Credit Ianis Hagi via Instagram
Rangers return mistake by Ianis Hagi as Scottish Premiership exit talks emerge at Ibrox
George Overhill
George Overhill
Mon 30 September 2024 7:40, UK
Ianis Hagi may have made an error in his bid to return to the Rangers first team under Philippe Clement as he remains frozen out of the picture.
The Romanian international has never played for the Belgian and is currently stuck turning out for the B Team in Glasgow.
A move to Rapid Bucharest was rejected before the transfer window closed [Sky Sports, 26 August, 9.03pm] as the 25-year-old and his agents have seemingly angled for a look in again at Ibrox at all costs.
Sitting on 99 Light Blues appearances a contract clause that is thought to cost the club a wage rise, and potentially a further payment to his former club Genk, is thought to be involved in the refusal to consider him [Daily Record, 13 August].
Philippe Clement has repeatedly dismissed the possibility of opening the door, but recently admitted in a 13 September press conference the decision was not entirely his in a hint that he might not be 100 per cent in favour of the status quo.
Philippe Clement has ruled out a Rangers return
But in a costly game of chicken which is hardly benefiting either side it looks like Hagi’s aim to stick it out past the transfer deadline in the hope of a softening of the resolve from his employers has fallen flat.
And now it has emerged that the club held loan talks with Scottish Premiership rivals over a temporary move for the attacker, which may have been his best chance of convincing Ibrox bosses he’s worth whatever extra investment is on the cards, but he wasn’t interested.
Philippe Clement
Rangers manager Philippe Clement admitted the Ianis Hagi decision wasn’t his alone.
According to Spot Media in his native Romania on 20 September the Light Blues were in contact with multiple clubs at the end of the window discussing a loan move, including those in the Scottish top flight.
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But Hagi reportedly wasn’t prepared to consider a temporary exit as he feels his season spent on loan at Alaves last term saw him receive fewer opportunities than others and he didn’t want to go through a repeat.
But fewer opportunities are better than no opportunities, and turning out in the same division as his parent club he would have been that much harder to ignore.
Rapid Bucharest transfer rejected during transfer window
Whatever he does for the B Team can be dismissed as it is a lower level, even if outside observers have taken notice, but had he taken an opportunity elsewhere in Scotland he may have been able to show the powers that be in Govan that he deserves to resume his Gers career even at a financial cost.
Tom Lawrence may have scored a screamer to down Hibs 1-0 on 29 September but the Welshman has hardly proven himself undroppable so far this term, yet there is clearly a belief that Hagi isn’t worth a shot as things stand.
Ianis Hagi
Ianis Hagi hasn’t played for Rangers in over a year and spent last season on loan at Alaves.
With the available information it is easily possible to question Rangers on that stance when he 41-cap international impressed at Euro 2024, but after spending £3.4million on Nedim Bajrami on Deadline Day [Sky Sports, 30 August] they are obviously convinced of their position.
Ibrox News pundit Derek Ferguson has called for all parties to hold talks to renegotiate the contract terms that are causing the issue, and Hagi suggested he was willing to do so via his Instagram on 27 August.
But if he and his agents assumed the club would come to the table by now to avoid paying him not to play for the senior side until at least January, as many would have thought, they have been disappointed.
A loan within the league would have been his best chance at an audition to prove them wrong but that opportunity has gone begging for at least three more months.
In other Rangers news, the Light Blues have been told to accept Dave King’s “no-brainer” return for investment.
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