Ianis Hagi leaves Rangers to join Alaves on loan for rest of season

Rangers have announced that Ianis Hagi has left the club to join Alaves on loan for the season.

The Romania international has moved in search of regular first team football after finding himself on the fringes under manager Michael Beale.

Hagi, who initially impressed on a loan spell from Genk in early 2020, joined Rangers on a permanent deal.

The attacker, son of Romanian icon Gheorghe Hagi, suffered a serious knee injury in January 2022 and spent twelve months out.

Since his return, Hagi has been frustrated by his lack of game time, with new signings ahead of him in the pecking order.

“Every footballer wants to play,” he said earlier this month. “I’m obviously disappointed by the situation but I respect the gaffer’s decisions.

“That doesn’t mean I agree with them but I respect them – he’s the manager of this club.

“I’m a simple guy, I just love football. I train 100 per cent on a daily basis, I come back from a one-year injury, they know who I am and they know my history at this football club, what I’ve done. I just want to play.”

The 24-year-old leaves having made 99 appearances for the club, scoring 16 goals.

Rangers boss Beale had admitted last week that Hagi was unhappy and was looking at options regarding his future.

“Me and Ianis spoke after three or four days of pre-season,” Beale said. “He missed a year.

“I brought him back into the team against Partick Thistle last year very early into his rehab and it was very clear at that moment he wasn’t ready.

“Over the summer he’s worked very hard to be fit. I wouldn’t say he’s at optimal fitness right now and I think the conversation has always been very honest.

“He’s a player that I have a strong relationship with on a personal level.

“His desire is that he wants to be a main starter and play every game. No one has that guarantee here at Rangers.

“He’s competing with Todd Cantwell for that role and maybe Sam Lammers and one or two others. Tom Lawrence is now returning.

“So it’s now about what does Ianis need after being out for a year. Those conversations and options are what Ianis and his agent have been looking at for the last week or so.

“In the background there’s been a lot going on.”