MANY believe the return of Ianis Hagi was one of the Rangers’ best bits of business last summer – despite him already being at the club.
It looked as if the Romanian’s time was up at Ibrox just a few months ago with his future in Scotland in major doubt amid a contract dispute.
Ianis Hagi could be on his way out of Ibrox in the summer[/caption]
Hagi with new Rangers coach Neil McCann[/caption]
He was exiled from first team training and demoted to the newly defunct B team while the club and his representatives resolved the issue.
The 26-year-old missed the first few games of the season and wasn’t registered to play in Europe by Philippe Clement amid the standoff.
The issue was finally resolved in October and he’s been a key player for Gers ever since – despite his rather eventful cameo in his first game back against St Johnstone.
Hagi looked set to leave Rangers when he returned from the Euros last year but he made it clear from the off that he wanted to fight for his place in Clement’s starting XI.
And it seems like his plans haven’t changed since the Belgian got the boot and was replaced by Barry Ferguson.
He’s been on the radar of Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Galatasaray for some time but a close family friend has revealed he has no interest in leaving Ibrox just yet.
Gheorge Popescu doesn’t believe Hagi would even consider a potential move to Rangers‘ Europa League rivals in the summer – because of his dad’s connections to their rivals across the city.
He’s described the rumours linking with a move to Jose Mourinho‘s side as “strange”.
Speaking to sportpesure, he said: “I don’t know if it’s true or not (no interest from Fenerbahce). What I can say is that I know from Ianis that he is happy at Rangers, he has started playing and is appreciated.
“I don’t know about his intention to leave there, whether it’s Fenerbahce, Galatasaray or any other club.
“I don’t know that Ianis would want to leave Glasgow. It would be something that would be hard to imagine (him joining Fenerbahce).
“Gică (his father) is considered the best foreigner to have played in the Turkish championship and I know how much he loves Galatasaray.
“It would be a strange thing, but they are two entities and are different. Gică is Gică and Ianis is Ianis, each with his own career. I repeat, I do not know of Fenerbahce’s interest in Ianis Hagi.”
Hagi’s current deal expires in the summer so he is free to speak to other clubs.
He could leave Rangers for free at the end of the season if they don’t manage to tie him down on new terms.
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