Gheorghe Hagi claims Rangers boss Gerrard wants to turn son Ianis into ‘one of the best’
Romanian legend Gheorghe Hagi has claimed that Rangers manager Steven Gerrard believes he can turn his son Ianis into “one of the best players in the world”.
The 21-year-old completed a permanent move to Ibrox last month following a loan spell from Belgian outfit Genk over the second half of the 2019/20 campaign.
And his father is optimistic about his prospects while working with Gerrard in Glasgow.
As quoted by the Daily Record, he said: “I’m confident Ianis will be a better player than I was.
“Ianis has signed for the ideal club for him because he is working with an extraordinary manager who appreciates him very much and he’s playing for a great side.
“His manager believes in him and thinks he can make him one of the best players in the world.
“He’s with the right club and I know he will get better every day. He will be a bigger player than me if he keeps working hard and learning.”
Can Hagi become one of the best players in the world?
That is a huge claim for his father to make, but there are few people who know what it’s like to play at an elite level as well as Gheorghe, having played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the ’90s.
He might have something of a vested interest when it comes to hyping up his son, but there are certainly signs that Rangers’ newest signing is destined for big things.
Already we have seen reports linking him with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur.
He still has some way to go before he could hope to compete for those kind of clubs on a regular basis, and he will need to improve his consistency next term – as pointed out by Alex Bruce during an interview with Ibrox News – but the fact that he is attracting that kind of attention already suggests that he has some serious potential.
Here’s hoping we get to see him realise that promise at Ibrox over the coming years.
In other Rangers news, Ibrox View: Sky Sports plan set to provide relief for Rangers fans.