Michael Beale admits midfielder Ianis Hagi could leave Rangers

Rangers manager Michael Beale admits Ianis Hagi’s future could be up for discussion before the transfer deadline after the midfielder dropped out of the club’s Champions League squad.

The Romanian will not feature in the play-offs against PSV Eindhoven.

The 24-year-old has only made two substitute appearances this season, coming on in the 89th minute against Servette at Ibrox and playing 33 minutes in Saturday’s 2-1 Viaplay Cup win against Morton.

Rabbi Matondo has replaced him in Rangers’ European squad while fit-again Ben Davies comes in for Ridvan Yilmaz, who is the only absentee through injury but will return to training later this week.

Beale said ahead of the first leg at Ibrox on Tuesday: “Ben comes back into the group, Yilmaz is not fit, and I feel that Rabbi in the last couple of weeks has shown a good face in terms of his speed and directness, and we may need that over the two legs.

Michael Beale has arrived to speak to the media.

MB: Ben (Davies) and Rabbi (Matondo) come back into the European squad.

No issue with Ianis (Hagi), he did well when he played at the weekend.

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) August 21, 2023

“No issue with Ianis. Ianis, as he put in his own words, is very happy when he’s playing football and he missed football for a year.

“He wants to play as a starter week in, week out, so it may be that between now and the end of the window we look at that.

“I thought he did well when he came into the game at the weekend.”

Hagi has only made four starts since returning from a serious knee injury in January.

Beale added: “He missed a year and I brought Ianis back into the team last year very early in his rehab. It was clear at that moment that he wasn’t ready.

“Over the summer he has worked very hard to be fit. I wouldn’t say he is at optimal fitness right now and I think the conversation with us has always been very honest. He is a player I have a strong relationship with on a personal level.

“His desire is that he wants to be a main starter and start every game and no-one has that guarantee here at Rangers. He is competing with Todd Cantwell for that role and Sam Lammers, while Tom Lawrence is now returning.

“So it’s more about what he needs after being out for a year with an ACL.

“Those conversations are around options Ianis and his agent have been looking at for the last week or so. In the background there has been a lot going on.”