Speaking on the BBC Sportsound podcast, former Rangers striker Steven Thompson has suggested the club now need to move for more ‘robust’ players, following the arrival of Ianis Hagi.
After weeks of speculation, the Gers announced on Wednesday evening that an agreement was in place to sign the Romania international on a ‘permanent, long-term deal.’
Many Rangers fans were delighted with the news, with Hagi a skilful attacking player capable of both scoring and creating goals.
Thompson agrees that it’s a positive signing but believes the recruitment team must now go in a different direction.
“He is without a doubt a very talented player, someone who can play a number of positions and he will create opportunities for Rangers,” he said on the BBC Sportsound podcast. “But Rangers have a lot of quality ball-players and players of that ilk.”
“I would suggest they should be signing more robust players, players who have been over the course a wee bit as well in terms of knowing what is required to win a league championship.
“But there is no doubt [Hagi] is a good signing. He will add plenty to that squad.”
Verdict
Hagi still has plenty of development to do. Yet, despite the protests of other pundits, it’s a positive signing – especially given the alleged terms of the deal negotiated by Ross Wilson.
Thompson does have a point here, though.
Hagi joins a team that already has a few mercurial elements. The likes of Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo showed flashes of brilliance last season but both struggled for consistency.
Steven Gerrard’s squad needs more steel. When ball-players like Steven Davis struggled for form in early 2020, nobody was able to take games by the scruff of the neck and force through results in the way successful Gers teams have in the past.
That’s why there have been reports of interest in the likes of Lewis Ferguson and Lyndon Dykes [Scottish Sun]. Fans are split on the two but both are physical, uncompromising players and although they lack title-winning experience, they are unlikely to go missing in the heat of battle.