Rangers are clearly in the middle of a long-overdue restructuring process, with Philippe Clement being given the responsibility of working with the squad until at least the next transfer window. However, it’s evident that no player is truly safe, especially those on high wages or nearing the end of their contracts. Ianis Hagi falls into that category, and it seems increasingly likely that he could be one of the names on the chopping block, especially with Galatasaray openly admitting their interest in the Romanian playmaker.
Hagi has had a turbulent spell at Rangers, with injuries disrupting his momentum, but since returning to action this season, he’s shown flashes of the talent that made him a £3m signing back in 2020. With eight goal contributions (three goals and five assists) in 15 league games, he’s arguably been one of Rangers’ more productive attacking players, especially considering the inconsistency of others in their squad. However, the looming issue for Rangers is his contract situation—his deal expires in the summer, and if they fail to agree on an extension or sell him in January, they risk losing him for free, which would be another poor piece of business from the Ibrox board.
Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has made it clear that he rates Hagi highly, recalling how he followed his progress since childhood and confirming previous transfer interest. While he stopped short of saying an official approach will be made, his comments leave the door wide open for a move. Given that Galatasaray is one of Hagi’s boyhood clubs due to his father’s legendary status there, it wouldn’t be surprising if the player himself was tempted by a return to Turkey.
From a Celtic perspective, while Hagi is a talented player, he’s not exactly an irreplaceable figure in Rangers’ squad. His lack of pace often limits his effectiveness, and while he’s technically gifted, he doesn’t have the game-changing ability that someone like Paulo Bernardo or Matt O’Riley provides for Celtic. Rangers have struggled to find a consistent attacking midfielder for years, with Todd Cantwell failing to live up to expectations and Nedim Bajrami looking like an expensive mistake at nearly £3.5m. Losing Hagi without a replacement lined up would leave them short on creativity, which could be a problem as they attempt to close the gap at the top of the league.
At the same time, if Rangers do sell Hagi, they’ll need to reinvest wisely. They’ve made a habit of allowing key players to leave for little to no profit—Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent both walked away for free, and this situation with Hagi could follow the same pattern. While Hagi isn’t on the same level as those two in terms of overall impact, Rangers can’t afford to keep losing assets without securing significant transfer fees.
In the grand scheme of things, whether Hagi stays or goes, Rangers’ problems run deeper. They need to rebuild their squad more effectively, recruit smarter, and ensure they don’t continue making the same mistakes in the transfer market. From a Celtic perspective, anything that disrupts Rangers’ stability is a bonus, and losing one of their few creative players mid-season would certainly be another headache for Clement to deal with.
Do you think Rangers will actually cash in on Hagi in January, or will they let another player walk away for nothing?