Highlights
- Rangers failed title chase for third 12 months in a row below Clement, aiming to rebuild with new signings and loaned gamers.
- Kieran Dowell’s struggles with accidents and efficiency at Rangers sign attainable exit, paving approach for Hagi’s return to enhance midfield.
- Hagi’s previous success with Rangers and creativity in LaLiga point out potential for impactful function in upcoming season below Clement.
Glasgow Rangers did not win the Scottish Premiership title for the third season in succession as they proceed to fall behind their closest rivals.
The Gers haven’t gained the top-flight trophy for the reason that 2020/21 marketing campaign below Steven Gerrard and fell quick but once more this 12 months below Philippe Clement, and Michael Beale earlier than him.
They did, nonetheless, win the League Cup, with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen, earlier within the season and that meant that they prevented back-to-back campaigns with out silverware.
The Mild Blues did fail to safe the SFA Cup, although, as they had been overwhelmed 1-0 by a ninetieth minute strike from Adam Idah at Hampden Park within the remaining final weekend.
Clement will now sit up for the upcoming summer season switch window and plot strikes to enhance his squad, with Brazilian left-back Jefte having already signed on a everlasting deal from Fluminense.
While the Belgian boss can use the window to herald new signings to bolster his aspect, he may additionally look to herald gamers who had been already contracted to the Gers however out on mortgage.
Ianis Hagi spent the season on mortgage with Alaves in Spain, having been despatched away by Beale final summer season, and Clement may immediately ditch Kieran Dowell, after one 12 months at Ibrox, by bringing the Romanian ace again into the fold.
Kieran Dowell’s first season at Rangers in numbers
The attacking midfielder joined the Mild Blues on a free switch from English Championship aspect Norwich Metropolis forward of the 2023/24 marketing campaign.
Dowell arrived off the again of a return of five goals and three assists in 23 second tier matches for the Canaries final season however nonetheless fell in need of these comparatively unimpressive contributions in a Rangers.
The previous Everton midfielder managed two goals and two assists in 12 appearances within the Scottish Premiership all through the season, with zero goals and zero assists in 4 cup outings.
Which means Dowell ended the marketing campaign with a median of 4 matches per purpose contribution, with 4 in 16, in all competitions for the Glasgow giants.
He missed 36 matches by means of harm in complete this time period for the Gers and should argue that his numbers would have been higher had he had higher luck with accidents.
Nonetheless, Dowell by no means performed more than 25 league games in a season in three years at Norwich, which means that availability has been a constant challenge for him.
Clement may now immediately ditch him from the squad, whether or not that’s by permitting him to hitch one other membership in the summertime or dropping him additional down the pecking order as a deep reserve possibility, by bringing Hagi again into the fold.
Ianis Hagi’s season on mortgage at Alaves in numbers
The Romania worldwide suffered a horrible knee injury in January 2022 that saved him out of motion for a 12 months and the Gers opted to ship him out on mortgage to start out enjoying common soccer once more.
He had missed a whopping 69 competitive games as a result of that harm, having solely been absent for two games as a result of accidents previous to that, however solely did not make one matchday squad for Alaves through the 2023/24 marketing campaign.
This means that Hagi will not be an harm legal responsibility, as Dowell has been, and that his long-term absence with a knee challenge has not led to additional problems.
Nonetheless, the 25-year-old wizard must battle again to his finest on the pitch after such a very long time on the sidelines, as proven by a return of zero goals and two assists in 22 matches in LaLiga.
|
23/24 LaLiga |
Ianis Hagi |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
22 |
|
Begins |
8 |
|
Objectives |
0 |
|
Assists |
2 |
|
Massive possibilities created |
4 |
|
Key passes per recreation |
1.1 |
|
Duel success price |
56% |
As you possibly can see within the desk above, Hagi greater than held his personal in bodily duels and confirmed promise as a inventive risk, however did not nail down a spot within the beginning XI.
Clement ought to see positives in his 4 ‘massive possibilities’ created in eight LaLiga begins and hope that he can unearth the title-winning model of the Romanian whiz, who was a key participant for Gerrard the final time the Scottish giants gained the Premiership title within the 2020/21 marketing campaign.
Ianis Hagi’s title-winning magic for Rangers
The previous Genk magician showcased his attacking high quality from an attacking midfield and extensive place all through the season in all competitions, as he operated in a quantity ten function out on the appropriate flank.
Hagi racked up eight goals and 15 assists throughout all competitions for the Scottish giants, which exhibits that the two-footed ace may present a risk as each a scorer and a creator of objectives.
As you possibly can see within the desk above, his performances for the Gers that time period had been considerably extra spectacular than Dowell’s had been for the membership within the season simply gone.
Hagi proved himself to be a dependable attacking outlet for each objectives and assists, with 17 direct purpose contributions in 23 league starts, while the ex-Norwich man has but to show that in a Mild Blues shirt.
While there isn’t a assure that the £25k-per-week ace can get again to these ranges, his rank inside the top 8% of LaLiga attacking midfielders and wingers for shot-creating actions per 90 (5.37) means that the potential continues to be there for him to be an enormous inventive presence in midfield.
Regardless of his restricted recreation time with Alaves, the 25-year-old gem persistently created alternatives for his teammates to get photographs off, and he may use these expertise to make issues occur within the remaining third for Rangers subsequent time period.
Hagi, who Gerrard described as a “dream” to work with, may emerge as a shock, given his lengthy harm lay-off and mortgage exit, star for the Gers subsequent season if given an opportunity by Clement.
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The Mild Blues are reportedly eager on a deal to signal the “excellent” winger this summer season.
That might then permit the Belgian boss to immediately ditch Dowell, who has struggled on and off the pitch in Scotland, by bringing the Romanian maestro in to take up the Englishman’s place within the squad for the 2024/25 marketing campaign.
