One key element of a successful player trading model is having assets, like Ianis Hagi, who other clubs would want to pay Rangers a decent fee for.
As with Glen Kamara, it’s not about how much we value them at but, how much could they be worth to other teams looking for a certain type of player.
Speaking on The La Liga podcast, Ianis Hagi has given the lowdown on his move from Rangers to Deportivo Alaves and it doesn’t look like he is in a hurry to come back to Scotland.
Ianis Hagi could be next to go for Rangers player trading model
Not only does he have a marketable name and face, but Hagi is a data anaylst’s dream too given his recent place amongst Europe’s elite playmakers and goalscorers.
Another match-winning goal for Romania has also added to the confirmation that he is now fully fit after his long-term knee injury and that he is a player who can contribute in key moments.
When asked about his time in Spain, Ianis Hagi told the La Liga podcast that Rangers fans might have seen the last of the 25-year old at Ibrox, in not so many words:
“It has always been my favourite league and I have always followed it. I love Spanish football, the Spanish mentality.
“I’m in love with the country and the lifestyle here. This means a lot to a footballer. I’m really enjoying my time here.
“I’m happy to be part of such a fantastic club like Alaves. It’s a great opportunity for me.
“They’ve had good and not so good moments in their history, but they’ve always been fighters. They are always ambitious and they align with who I am, my personality and mentality.”
Even before Hagi, who cost Rangers a reported £4m, signed for Alaves, he had spoken about his love of Spanish football and how he thought it would suit his style of play, which it clearly does.
If Ianis Hagi comes back to Rangers, we will have a more confident and more rounded player, however, if he is to be sold, then proving that he can cut it in a top five league adds a few pounds to his value.
The player trading model is key to our self-sufficiency and Hagi is, probably, in his current form, our most saleable asset.
It’s a double-edged sword for Philippe Clement because he would love a player of Hagi’s quality in his squad, however, he wouldn’t turn down the sort of money that he could bring in either.
