Philippe Clement dropped a bombshell the other day with the news Ianis Hagi was in the final six months of his Rangers contract.
It had been thought the Romanian playmaker still had another year at Ibrox from this summer and it was the latest twist in what has been a tumultuous spell for him.
However, Clement confirmed Hagi was coming to the end of his deal but that the club had been in discussions with him about the prospect of extending it.
The 26-year-old has been interesting clubs in France and Italy but it has been reported that he is open to a longer stay at Rangers.
Genoa were one of the clubs most strongly linked with Hagi but it was claimed they were only willing to offer around £1.2million which wouldn’t likely be agreeable to Gers chiefs.
Just a matter of months ago though, he looked to be on his way out of Rangers.
Hagi was banished to the B team amid a reported contract issue with the club but he was then reinstated to the first team after resolving the dispute.
He has improved the side to the degree that he is now being tipped as one of the Rangers stars who can trouble Manchester United tonight.
Billy Dodds has now given his take on what he feels is a “weird” situation.
Dodds assesses Hagi Rangers contract chances
The former Ibrox striker feels there was more to Hagi’s banishment than just the contract stand-off and that Clement “didn’t fancy” the player either.
Dodds reckons Hagi might take the chance for a big pay day elsewhere, but wouldn’t be surprised if the club tries to get him to extend, even if only by a year.
Speaking on The Go Football Radio Show, he said: “It’s a weird one because I’m telling you, Philippe Clement did not fancy Hagi and that’s how well Hagi’s worked, absolutely grafted like mad to get himself back in the team.
“And maybe it is for him to go and move and get a financial reward somewhere else because he hasn’t got great pace, he doesn’t get past people on the outside, an odd time he does.
“But he likes to come inside the pitch and leave the space for the full-back and I thought they did that really well. And when he did that Bajrami was filling the wing really well or Jefte was forward.
“He really got Rangers ticking again and maybe that’s for self-rewarded maybe, if we want to call it that. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Rangers were trying to get him to sign at least maybe a one-year contract.
“He’s done well but he’s not the finished article and it’s taken for now a bit more experience in him to be at Rangers for the penny to drop okay, I’m not going to earn myself a contract.”
Philippe Clement on Hagi
”He will be end of contract at the end of the season,” said Clement.
”So there will be negotiations around that, if it’s possible or not.
”I don’t have a clue what numbers that Ianis has in mind or the club so that’s discussions between them.“
