Ianis Hagi haș been the subject of transfer speculation even before Ross Wilson decided to trigger the option to buy clause on his loan contract.
With a famous name and huge reputation as a teenager, the Romanian international will always be a player that is on the radar of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, in just over 18 months we’ve seen Lazio, Sevilla and Roma all credited with an interest, the latter said to be planning a £17million move in January.
Goals like the one he scored agains Germany during the recent international break will only serve to enhance his reputation, leaving a centre-half who is demanding £400,000 a week in his wake before firing past one of the continent’s best keepers.
He is an integral member of Steven Gerrard’s Rangers squad though, it’s no coincidence that we have looked a lot more like last season’s vintage with him in the starting XI since he returned from his Covid-19 enforced absence, however, speaking to Football Insider, BBC pundit Danny Mills believes that if Roma do follow up their alleged interest, Hagi won’t be long for the shores:
“Is he a Jose Mourinho-style player? I’m not sure would be my answer.
“But if you’re offered that amount of money without a doubt you’d take it. £17million for that calibre of player is wow, snap your hand off.
“Whether that comes to fruition at £17million I would be a little bit surprised if it did.”
I’d tend to agree with Mills, the price is probably about right for Hagi given his status for Romania and his potential, he is young enough that he still has plenty of time to improve – we’ve seen at first hand the physical transformation in him since he first arrived in Scotland.
The biggest question mark would be whether or not the story is accurate, there rarely seems to be a month go by without the playmaker being linked with a move away from Ibrox, after a disappointing spell in Belgium he has rebuilt his reputation.
Having signed Hagi for around the £3million mark – a masterstroke by Wilson – we stand to make a decent profit on the 22-year old when he does eventually leave, Mills is right though, he would snap Roma’s hand off if an offer for £17m lands on his desk.