'The facts are...' – ex-Rangers man weighs in on Clement stand-off with Ibrox-linked ace

Rangers midfielder Ianis Hagi should play for the club again despite not being on good terms with Philippe Clement, according to Dorin Goian.

The former Gers Rangers and Romanian defender leapt to the defence of his compatriot Hagi, who played his first competitive football of the new season in Romania’s 3-0 win over Kosovo on 6 September.

Hagi is currently not in Clement’s first-team plans at Ibrox and was demoted to the B team with a transfer on the cards, but with that yet to happen, Goian wants the playmaker to return to the fold.

In quotes reported by the Daily Record (7 September), he said: “Ianis Hagi is a valuable player. Unfortunately, he is not having a great time at Rangers, given that he is not on the best of terms with the manager there.

“Rangers are not playing great, they have just been outclassed in the Old Firm by Celtic and things are not rosy.

“The facts are that Rangers have a talented footballer who, until he got injured, was playing very well there.

“I think Ianis should play for Rangers. He is a technical player, who can beat a man. He can make a killer pass too and in Scotland there are not many players of his ability.”

Ianis Hagi situation helps neither Philippe Clement nor Rangers

The Gers’ lack of quality up and down the pitch was exposed in brutal fashion by Celtic on 1 September, as the Hoops stormed to a comfortable 3-0 win at Parkhead in the first Old Firm of the new season.

A complete absence of cutting-edge in the final third saw Clement’s side miss several chances to take an early lead before Celtic took control, and it was already 2-0 and game-over by half-time.

One player who could have made a difference in these early stages was Hagi, who played more than any other Scottish Premiership player at EURO2024 and remains a regular pick for Romania even now.

That points towards Clement having a big decision to make regarding the 25-year-old’s future, and with no transfer coming any time soon [Hugh McDonald, 6 September], the Belgian should bring Hagi back into the first-team fold.

It may or may not pay off to have Hagi back in the side, but with a lack of creative and number 10 options laid bare at Parkhead, Gers fans haven’t forgotten the 2021 title-winner they’ve got waiting in the wings.

In other Rangers news, the Gers have been linked with a veteran international defender if one of their long-serving players departs.

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