‘Simple’ – Journalist shares ‘reason they can’t get rid of Ianis Hagi’ at Rangers after transfer crash

Rangers have not been able to offload Ianis Hagi because they already pay him too much, according to Hugh MacDonald.

The Herald journalist told PLZ Soccer’s The Journos show on 5 September that the rumoured £25,000-a-week contract the Romanian is on made a move to Rapid Bucharest impossible, after an exit collapsed when the attacker rejected the option before the transfer deadline [Sky Sports, 26 August].

Hagi has been frozen out of first-team contention and is believed to have a clause in his contract that will trigger a wage rise with a 100th appearance [Daily Record, 13 August] but MacDonald is convinced clubs aren’t going to sign him for what he is already on.

He said (16m 25s): “The reason they can’t get rid of Ianis Hagi is they pay him too much, it’s simple. There’s no great mystery or enigma about it.

“He’s on x-amount a week, teams that are in for him are going to say at most, ‘We’ll give you half of x, or a third of x, or a quarter of x a week’.

“The rumours are that he’s on £25,000-plus [per week] so Rapid Bucharest coming in for a player, they’re not going to pay 25G a week to him. And this is not an isolated case.

“And this we do know for a fact because we see it in their annual figures, their wage bill’s higher than Celtic’s right? You’re saying to yourself, ‘What?’”

Philippe Clement has no use for Ianis Hagi at Rangers

It would appear that Rangers have managed to back themselves into a corner so completely that there is no way out of the Hagi situation that won’t now cost them.

If a big-spending side suddenly decides to take a flyer on the 25-year-old and puts a cheap offer on the table where they agree to match his current wages it would provide a late escape route, but with the majority of the European windows already shut the options are dwindling.

Belgium, Russia, Turkey or Qatar might just about be feasible destinations but there are only days left before they are all shut [TEAMtalk, 31 August] and it has been very quiet on that front so far.

Otherwise the options seem to be for Clement to cave and reintegrate Hagi while the club take the hit on his contract in the hope he can pay them back on the pitch, or they negotiate a settlement to terminate his deal [Daily Record, 29 August].

The player himself has made clear he is committed to contributing to the team and has put the effort in for the B Team as the stand-off has developed.

But a higher wage would make it even harder to sell him in future unless he impresses and Nedim Bajrami’s arrival has surely made the manager even less interested in that option than when he only had Tom Lawrence at number 10.

So outside of one side blinking first there surely needs to be negotiations on a compromise otherwise everyone involved loses out.

Gordon Dalziel criticises Clement for insulting Rangers fans with words he made.

Gordon Dalziel has attacked Rangers manager Philippe Clement’s comments following the 3-0 loss to Celtic on Sunday [1 September]. The Gers manager attempted to draw positives from the humiliating setback at Parkhead, even suggesting that the game could have ended 3-3 if his men had converted their chances [The National, 1 September]. Dalziel responded to the comments live on the Clyde 1 Superscoreboard [3 September], warning the Belgian not to disgrace Rangers fans. He stated, “I’m not sitting here thinking the solution is to sack Clement and get him out of the building.

It doesn’t matter who you invite in. One thing I’ll criticise Clement for is being honest with the fans, who aren’t stupid. “He should come out and tell them, ‘We were beaten by the better team; we must stick together.'” Don’t say nonsense since it will disgrace them and the club.

“But I’m not saying get rid because he’s got a different job. [Pep] Guardiola couldn’t turn it around. They have to get together and work together.”

Can Philippe Clement turn things around at Rangers?

Clement chose to stay positive following the Old Firm defeat, a bold decision considering the way they lost to Celtic and one that has certainly ruffled feathers at Rangers.

There are much bigger problems than the Belgian at the Gers when captain James Tavernier cowers behind his teammates in the most important match of the Scottish Premiership calendar. It shows a fundamental problem from top to bottom among the squad.

Once the first Celtic goal hit the back of the net, the match was already decided. Clement needs to find a way to make his side competitive when facing their fierce rivals as the lack of leadership in the squad proved costly.

A summer rebuild saw 10 new players walk through the door and 10 players leave. The recruitment has been scrutinised following the defeat but Clement can only work with the restricted finances at his disposal.

The monumental task facing Rangers will not be an overnight fix. Celtic are leaps and bounds ahead in terms of quality within the squad and it will take years of smart recruitment to bridge the gap. The sooner the supporters come to terms with this reality, the better they will be.

Matt O’Riley’s Celtic future latest as Atalanta make progress on alternative target

Northern Irelands Francis Turley runs with the ball during the UEFA European Under-17 Championship 2023 Qualifying round match between Northern Ireland and Czechia at the Centenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali, Malta on 19 October 2022
(Photo by Domenic Aquilina/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Francis Turley, a Celtic youth, has had a fantastic few days following his first senior goal for the Bhoys against Queen’s Park earlier in the week.

In the second half, the 18-year-old skilfully capitalised on a precise cutback, earning Brendan Rodgers’ commendation for the player’s “natural instinct” after the game.

“I’ve only seen him in the last few days, but it’s obvious he plays football,” he said. He has an innate ability to enter the box and performs some amazing feats with the ball. It was the last thirty minutes that I was truly happy for him.

There is opportunity for one or two superstars to make a claim for further playing time because Rodgers is content to rotate his team during the preseason.

In the wake of his heroics at The City Stadium, Turley has now earned a prize outside of professional football.

Francis Turley receives a thrilling global award
Turley has been called up by the Northern Ireland Under-19s for their impending participation in the European Championships, according to Celtic B’s official X account.

Turkey, Italy, Norway, Ukraine, Denmark, Spain, and France are the other seven competitors.

Turley has already made progress in his brief Celtic career, and in a few days, he will get the opportunity to compete against other top young players, which will only help him advance as a football player.

Leading the charge to get his signature has been Atlanta. The Europa League winners have had multiple bids for O’Riley rejected because they don’t match the Bhoys’ asking price.

The Denmark international has also been linked to Brighton & Hove Albion. But now that Brajan Gruda is joining from Mainz, their respect seems to have diminished.

After O’Riley scored 19 goals and provided 18 assists for Southampton last season, manager Russell Martin of Southampton also stated that his team isn’t in the running for O’Riley. This could give Celtic fans new hope that they can hold onto their great player.

Now, additional information about his circumstances has surfaced, which could support that theory.

Atlanta advances in their chase of Lazar Samardzic
Atalanta and Udinese attacking midfielders are reportedly close to reaching a personal terms agreement, according to Fabrizio Romano.

“EXCL: Atalanta met with Lazar Samardzić’s agent today; personal terms were agreed upon,” he said. Talks have also begun between Atalanta and Udinese, with Samardzić potentially a top target following Juventus’ €52 million + €7 million add-on bid for Koopmeiners.

Any action will, of course, depend on Teun Koopmeiners finishing his transfer to Juventus. Expect Atalanta to attempt to replace the Netherlands international as soon as that is finalised, since that has been in the works for some time.

Crucially, this information can mean that they will no longer be interested in O’Riley. They don’t seem to be looking to add two offensive midfield players this close to the deadline.

Matt O’Riley remaining at Celtic would be a huge advantage.
There are no words to adequately describe what O’Riley offers Celtic. He plays a key role in much of the midfield’s creative activity and is a key component of Brendan Rodgers’ tactical scheme.

He also discovered his shooting touch during the previous season, and the Bhoys’ home-run victory depended heavily on his consistent goals.

This summer, there has been a lot of interest in his services, and more parties may approach him before the window closes. If other teams don’t like that, they can go on to other targets, but Celtic has remained strong in the market.

If O’Riley could stay with the Bhoys for one more season, that would be a huge help. Supporters will have to wait for a response on that front for the time being.