Regardless of what anyone else thinks, I’ll not be swayed from the opinion that Rangers have missed Ianis Hagi this season.
Sam Lammers had two goals and two assists in over 30 games before heading back to the Eredivisie on loan with Utrecht, we all know that the Romania international can produce better numbers than that.
Shipped out on loan to Deportivo Alaves by Michael Beale, Rangers have had to do without Ianis Hagi in their squad all season in a move that Romanian FA technical director, Mihai Stoichita, can’t understand.
Rangers could have done with Ianis Hagi as loan move questioned
It’s not just that Hagi could have played in his preferred number 10 position at Ibrox this season, look at the problems we have had in the squad all year on the right.
The 25-year old might not be a traditional winger but where did Hagi have his best season for the club?
On the right-hand side of the attack.
With James Tavernier one of the most attacking full-backs around, Hagi doesn’t need to be able to beat players 1v1 with pace to be a threat.
He takes up good positions, has clever movement, can pick out a pass and can finish of either foot.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but, if you gave him Scott Wright and Ross McCausland’s minutes for this season are you backing him to be invovled in more or less goals?
Stoichita agrees:
“Why did Alaves take him on loan from Rangers?
“I just don’t understand why they don’t play him.
“It’s not as if Alaves are brilliant or anything. I keep watching their games and it doesn’t even register that Ianis isn’t playing – I just presume he is not.
“And when I do watch their matches, I look at their players and there is no doubt that Ianis could do as well if not better than them.
“I ask myself why is the manager being unfair to him?
“Ianis is someone who can get you a goal at any time, he can unlock defences with a pass.
“They keep losing or drawing with the same group of players. Why sign him in the first place?”
What Rangers manager Philippe Clement’s plans might be for Ianis Hagi are unclear, it’s a shame he couldn’t have brought the playmaker back in January when we started picking up more attacking injuries and to have a closer look at him.
For Hagi, it looks like a career in La Liga or one of Europe’s other top five leagues might be a struggle now having been unsuccessful in Italy and Spain.
I’d have him in the current Rangers team in a heart-beat but, come the summer, that decision might get taken out of his hands even if he didn’t want to leave in the first place.
