Glasgow Rangers finally won the Old Firm match under Philippe Clement on Thursday when the Ibrox side blew away Celtic with a phenomenal performance in the traditional festive clash between the two.
Given the form of both teams, Rangers’ 3-0 win certainly didn’t appear on the radar, but the performance must give the manager hope that the second half of the season can be better than the first.
Much of the improved display against Celtic was down to a dynamic front four who worked well together to cause the defense various problems. Nedim Bajrami showed his class as a number ten, while Hamza Igamane’s movement regularly took opposing players out of position.
Two wing players – Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny – proved to be the most creative in the attack. Cerny hit the box twice, and Hagi not only scored the first goal, but also sent eight crosses into the box and made four key passes during the game.
He finally appears to be back to his brilliant best after a contract dispute threatened to end his spell at Ibrox sooner than expected.
If he can maintain this form, the Romanian will be a huge asset for Clement from now until the end of the campaign. That is certain.
Ianis Hagi’s Rangers statistics
It’s hard to believe that Steven Gerrard signed Hagi five years ago. The fair-faced attacking midfielder has enjoyed a solid first few months in Glasgow, the highlight being the two goals he scored against Braga in a 3-2 comeback win.
During the 2020/21 season. the player played a major role as the Gers won the Premiership title without defeat. Not only Hagi registered 18 goal contributions – seven goals and 11 assists – in the Premier League alone, but averaged one key pass per game while creating nine big chances.
|
Ianis Hagi’s Premiership stats for Rangers (full season only) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Metric |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2024/25 |
|
Objectives |
7 |
2 |
1 |
|
Assists |
11 |
0 |
3 |
|
Great chances were created |
6 |
2 |
3 |
|
Shots per game |
1.8 |
2.4 |
2.2 |
|
Key passes per match |
1 |
1.5 |
1.9 |
Hagi looked to build on that during the following campaign and while he was a regular in the starting 11, against Stirling Albion in a Scottish Cup tie, the playmaker suffered a season-ending injury which stopped his progress.
By the time he returned to full fitness, Michael Beale was in charge and clearly didn’t like him, sending him on loan to Alaves in La Liga for the 2023/24 season.
His commitment to the club is clear, he has managed to resolve a contract dispute that threatened to end his stay in Glasgow, and now it looks like he could be an important player for the team.
With the winter window now open, Clement will be ready to make a few signings to add some much-needed depth to his first-team squad.
There have already been a few names linked with a move to Ibrox, but there is one player who was previously wanted for a move to Rangers. Not only that, he could be the next Hagi for the club…
Rangers want to sign a contract with the Romanian sensation
before christmas claims the Daily Record that Rangers were reportedly interested in signing FCSB midfielder Darius Olaru when the January transfer window opened.
The player has a release clause of just €4m (£3.3m) inserted into his contract, making him an attractive option for Clement, especially if something were to move this month.
First the Ibrox side began to show interest in Olaru a few years ago, even sending scouts to follow his performances when Beale was in charge.
No move materialized then, but could 2025 be different? £3.3m may sound lavish given the club’s current financial woes, but if several players are to be sold then a move for the FCSB star should be a priority.
Darius Olaru’s season in numbers
The 25-capped Romanian international has been in excellent form for his club this season. Through 30 appearances in all competitionshe scored 15 goals with seven assists.
At home, the attacking midfielder was on fire. He has created six big chancesaveraging three key passes per game along with an average of 3.3 tackles per game, proving that he is a major attacking threat.
He even shone in the Europa League, scoring three goals in just four games, although he missed the clash against Rangers due to suspension.
Bringing in a player of his ability would certainly strengthen the club and it would also be good for Hamza Igamane, who could do well playing in front of Olaru.
Olaru could be a dream signing for Hamza Igamane
Igamane has been excellent since making his debut for the Light Blues at the beginning of September. In that period, he scored eight times and even for the light blues attracted interest from Everton too.
Having someone like Olaru playing right behind him and creating chance after chance would certainly allow the Moroccan forward to score more regularly.
Compared to positional peers in the Europa League this season, Olaru is in the top 10% for key passes per 90 (2.85) and in the top 19% for tackles per 90 (4.56), indicating his teammates benefit from his creative talents in the final third.
Scottish content creator Kai Watson lavished praise on the midfielder in November 2024, saying:
“I have no idea where we would get the money from, but he would be an amazing signing. Aggressive pressing that is also resistant to pressure, can create chances and score goals.”
It would be money well spent if Rangers make a concrete move to bring the Romanian to Ibrox, and following the success of his compatriot Hagi, Olaru could have a similar impact at the club.
Much will depend on other factors, but if Clement has the cash available then the signing of the FCSB sensation could improve further during his time in Scotland.
