As Malik Tillman dusts off that Celtic injury, Ianis Hagi might just be the perfect man to replace him and begin to earn his long-awaited redemption at Rangers.
The Romanian playmaker has spent over a year recovering from a devastating cruciate ligament injury which was sustained in a 4-0 Scottish Cup win over Stirling Albion in January 2022.
The injury ruled Ianis Hagi out of the legendary run to Seville, and such was the player’s importance to the squad at the time, probably had a not insignificant impact on the club’s doomed title challenge.
Since then, no on will have been more eager than Ianis Hagi himself to return to the fold for Rangers and that aforementioned injury to Malik Tillman presents a strong opportunity.
Malik Tillman went off about half an hour into the match with Celtic with a hamstring injury, in a moment that had a big knock-on effect in the game as the chatter continues around a potential £5m transfer from FC Bayern.
Ianis Hagi handed Malik Tillman Rangers injury chance
Having returned to the fold at the end of January, first-team opportunities have been sparse for Ianis Hagi as he looks to work back his match fitness.
There’s even been something of a spat with the Romanian international team, who clearly do not feel Ianis is playing at the level, or with the fitness, to merit a return.
A surprise sub in the 1-0 Scottish Cup defeat to Celtic, it was Hagi’s seventh appearance of the season, with all of them coming from the bench.
Handed a new contract earlier this year, it’s clear Rangers still view the Romanian playmaker as a key player and it will be interesting to see what impact, if any, the 24-year-old can have between now and the end of the season.
There was a time when Ianis Hagi was being linked with £17m moves to AS Roma and the midfielder has proven in patches his quality for the club.
Rangers will be hoping to see that now going into these final five Premiership games of the season and if the midfielder makes the right impression, it could bode very well heading into the new campaign.
