Ryan Hardie has left Rangers to join Livingston on loan this summer.
Rangers striker Ryan Hardie has left Ibrox this summer and joined newly-promoted Livingston on a season-long loan from Steven Gerrard’s side, in a move that could raise the importance of the club’s current reported transfer talks.
Hardie, 21, joined Livi in the January transfer window on loan until the end of the season, scoring eight goals in 16 Scottish Championship appearances and playing a crucial part in the club’s promotion push.
He helped Livi finish in the play-offs, but suffered an injury and was made to watch the club’s matches against Dundee United and Partick Thistle. But Livi triumphed, and have now brought Hardie back to Almondvale.
With Hardie leaving and Eduardo Herrera’s future at Ibrox seemingly over under Gerrard, the Gers are left with only Alfredo Morelos as an option up front.
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Losing Hardie, then, could add more weight and importance to talks reportedly taking place over a move that would see Nottingham Forest striker Jason Cummings move permanently to Ibrox this summer.
Cummings moved to Rangers in the January transfer window, which also prompted Hardie to join Livingston. He scored six goals in 18 games, but only two of those came in the top tier of Scottish football.
The Scotland international is seemingly out of favour at the City Ground under Aitor Karanka, and talks are said to be ongoing between the two clubs over a move that would see Cummings sign permanently.
Letting Hardie leave on loan, then, will surely increase the importance of getting a deal done for Cummings this summer, as Gerrard looks to add to his options up front.
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