Ianis Hagi is back in form with the loaned-out Rangers playmaker living up to Florin Cernat’s belief that the Romania ace is ‘the most complex player’ he has ever come across with the national team.
Slowly but slowly, Rangers’ £3 million playmaker is rediscovering the form that once made him such a source of excitement at Ibrox.
Loaned out to La Liga newcomers Alaves over the summer, Ianis is playing regular first-team football again after so long on the sidelines, and the benefits of that are clear to see with the son of Romania legend Gheorghe Hagi producing performances his iconic father would have been proud of on the international stage.
It was his brilliantly-taken goal, meanwhile, which secured a seat on the place to next summer’s European Championships via Saturday’s 2-1 win at Israel.
Rangers ace Ianis Hagi back in form
“A few years ago, I declared that Ianis and (Empoli’s) Razvan Marin would be the leaders of the national team. But I knew it would take time. When I said that, they were still young. Little by little, they integrated very well,” Cernat, who played 14 times for the Tricolorii, tells GSP.
“I’ve been with them, played with them, and seen their potential. They are among the most important players right now.
With Ianis, it was only a matter of time. I was not worried about his qualities, because he is perhaps the most complex player I have seen so far. I mean… hitting the ball with both feet, intelligence in the game, things that he has.”
It remains to be seen if Hagi will be afforded the opportunity to kick-start his Rangers career under Philippe Clement when his La Liga loan spell comes to an end. The former Genk and Fiorentina ace is at his most effective in a central attacking midfield role, but the same is true of numerous other players at Clement’s disposal, including Todd Cantwell, Tom Lawrence and the improving Sam Lammers.