RANGERS can confirm that Ianis Hagi has agreed to join the club on a permanent, long term deal, with the Light Blues having negotiated their option to buy.
Full Romanian International, Hagi, 21, featured for Rangers on 12 occasions, scoring three goals including a memorable brace in the Europa League v Braga to take Rangers to the last 16 as well as a winner against Hibernian. During his spell, Hagi was able to make a significant impact in front of the Ibrox faithful.
Hagi has established himself as a senior international with 10 caps, having risen through the under age ranks of Romania. Twice nominated for the European Golden Boy, Hagi is seen as one of the most exciting young talents in European football. Hagi starred in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, scoring against Croatia and England, helping Romania progress to the semi finals.
Ianis quickly established himself as a fan favourite in his short loan spell at Ibrox. He will join up with Steven Gerrard’s squad when the team return for pre-season training ahead of finally completing the transfer when the summer window opens.
Sporting Director, Ross Wilson, commented, “We are delighted that Ianis has chosen to continue his career at Rangers. I have had numerous conversations with Ianis and his representatives and he made it clear that continuing with Rangers was his absolute focus.
“He is not only a huge talent but also a top young professional who is determined to be successful. We are sure our investment in him will be an effective one as we believe in his ability now whilst also being excited that at 21 years old there is significantly more development to come from him. When Ianis arrived in January we quickly developed a strong relationship with him and I know how much Steven and the coaches enjoy working with him every day.
“The formality of the transfer won’t complete until the transfer window opens but we look forward to welcoming Ianis back to Glasgow in the next few weeks alongside the rest of the first team squad. Finally, I thank KRC Genk for their openness, flexibility and creativity in all of our discussions.
“We secured an exclusive option in January and in recent weeks we have worked with Genk to find a new solution that works for everyone now, given how much the world has changed in the last few months.”
First Team Manager, Steven Gerrard said, “Ianis is recognised throughout Europe as a young, exciting player so to have him join Rangers on a permanent basis is great news.
“I was able to develop a relationship with Ianis very quickly, he is a pleasure to coach as he is willing to learn and become better every training session. He has already experienced the pressure and expectation of Ibrox, I know he is ready for next season.”
Ianis Hagi underlined his delight at joining Rangers on a permanent deal, “I am excited about re-joining the squad for pre-season and putting on the famous shirt once again. There was interest from other clubs, but my priority was always to return to Glasgow and play for Rangers.
“I really enjoyed my loan spell at Ibrox and look forward to playing in front of our fans very soon, but for now I hope all of the Rangers fans and your families are staying safe and well.”