Ianis Hagi wanted by every club in one country as Rangers transfer verdict shared

Romania head coach Mircea Lucescu believes "all the teams in Romania" want to sign Rangers midfielder Ianis Hagi.

The 25-year-old was heavily linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer, with Steaua Bucharest offering him a move on transfer deadline day [Football Scotland], but he chose to stay in Scotland.

Since returning from his season-long loan at Deportivo Alaves, Hagi has been training with the B team, with the Gers not wanting the player to trigger a £6,000 weekly wage increase in his contract with more appearances [Daily Record].

Speaking at a press conference, quoted by Sport [5 September], Lucescu said: "I think that's what happens [that the players who play are called up], but it's not just about the continuity in playing.

"There is also the term value. All the teams in Romania want Ianis, that is, he would automatically be present in the national team.

"He is going through a more difficult moment, you have seen what is happening there, but I am convinced that he will be able to get over this moment. We have to help him and those of us who are in this situation. Ianis trained permanently."

Ianis Hagi remains at Rangers despite transfer links

Hagi still has a part to play at Ibrox if Philippe Clement allows him to return to the first-team squad.

Of course, this will mean the player must agree to new contract terms to get rid of the wage clause in his current deal, but it remains to be seen if this will happen anytime soon.

While his loan spell in La Liga was extremely disappointing, making just eight league starts and managing two goals in all competitions, the 25-year-old has experienced many good moments in a Rangers shirt.

The Gers clearly believed in him enough at one point, having put quite a significant wage boost clause in his contract, making just one game short of a century for the club since joining on loan from Genk in 2020.

The best thing for all parties is for the situation to be resolved, rather than the player remaining in the B team until January, but it could still be that Hagi ends up transferring back to Romania in the next window.

In other Rangers news, Nils Koppen faces further scrutiny at Ibrox as details emerged on collapsed transfer.

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