Ianis Hagi is willing to sit down with Rangers and discuss a new deal to extend his stay at Ibrox.
Gers gaffer Philippe Clement revealed last week that the Romanian’s contract expires at the end of this season – 12 months earlier than previously thought. The Light Blues boss is keen to retain a player who has worked tirelessly to re-establish himself as a key man at Ibrox having found himself frozen out at the start of the campaign because of a salary stand-off.
But he’s also hinted Hagi may have to accept a wage cut if he wants to extend his five-year stay. So far, there’s been no negotiations on the topic of fresh terms. But Hagi is happy to hear any proposals Gers are willing to make. A source close to the 26-year-old told Record Sport: “Ianis is happy in Glasgow. Right now, there is nothing new to say about his contract but of course he will listen to what Rangers have to say. But as things stand, there are no negotiations planned.”
Hagi found himself banished to Gers B team in the summer due to a wage rise clause that would have seen his salary hiked if he played just one more game for Clement’s top squad. Rangers and the player’s representatives were able to compromise on a deal, allowing Hagi to rejoin his first-team colleagues.
With his contract up in the summer, Clement would like him to stay in Glasgow but admits it might be impossible depending on the midfielder’s demands. Speaking last week, he admitted: “Ianis will be at the end of his contract this season so there will be negotiations around that to see if it’s possible or not (for him to stay).
“I don’t have a clue what numbers Ianis has in mind, or the club. So there will be discussions between them. Of course, I’m happy with how Ianis is performing. I knew about him already but there was a situation before the season started that was out of my hands.
“I’m happy that, after discussions with the club, everybody was willing from his side and ours to put water to the wine, come together, and find a solution to that. Clearly, it’s been very beneficial for the team.”
Hagi has already shrugged off speculation suggesting he could return to Turkey, where his father Gheorge starred for Galatasaray during his days as one of Europe’s biggest stars, this month. French side Strasbourg have also recently been credited with an interest. Quizzed on his future after scoring in this month’s Old Firm victory over Celtic, he said: “Do I look happy? Yes.
“I’m happy and there are things you can’t really control. I’ve said it before, I’ve understood at this age what I need to perform and what environment I need to be in to perform.
“I’m really happy here and probably you can see it on the pitch compared to last season. For me it’s about that. In football you can’t control things but one thing is for sure is that I’m really happy here.”