Michael Stewart criticises Rangers’ Ianis Hagi move

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Rangers have suffered disappointment, as the early resolution of the Scottish Premiership season means it’s another season without a trophy.

Steven Gerrard remains without silverware in his two years at Ibrox. It’s unlikely that the Gers would have stopped Celtic from winning the title anyway, but the early resolution has made it impossible.

Gerrard must now figure out how to win the title next season, and stop Celtic from winning a tenth league title in a row. New signings will be needed, though the financial impact of the global pandemic will limit spending.

Still, Rangers appear to have found room in the budget for one big signing. BBC Sport report that a deal for Ianis Hagi is close to completion, believed to be worth around £5million.

The Romanian playmaker joined Rangers on loan in January, arriving from KRC Genk. Having been touted for a bright future, Hagi was an exciting addition for the Gers.

The son of legend Gheorghe Hagi, Ianis made an instant impact at Ibrox. With three goals and two assists in his first 12 games for the club, Hagi became an immediate favourite.

Rangers are now pursuing a permanent deal for the 21-year-old, and whilst Gers fans will be excited to see Hagi in action long-term, pundit Michael Stewart doesn’t seem impressed.

The BBC Sportscene pundit has told The Scottish Sun that he isn’t sure Hagi is the player to make a difference and stop Celtic winning another title, believing they need help in other areas rather than splashing the majority of their budget on Hagi.

“Rangers are going to need every penny they’ve got if they’re going to stop Celtic doing ten in a row,” said Stewart. “So paying out £5million for Ianis Hagi this summer makes no sense to me. I’m not saying the Genk loanee is a bad player — far from it. He’s clearly got something about him. But is he really the guy who’s going to come in and make the difference? I’m not so sure.”

“For starters I’m not sure Gers even have that kind of money to spend. The sums don’t add up. This is a club who lost £11million in the last financial year and needed £10million just to see the season out. But let’s say, for argument’s sake, Rangers do have that kind of cash to splash. Is Hagi really the one you want? I think £5million could get you a lot more, if I am perfectly honest. As things stand Rangers don’t actually have to sign anyone for months. There’s no urgency there,” he added.