Ianis Hagi 'in a fantastic place' as Rangers forward tipped for big season

Steven Gerrard has tipped Ianis Hagi to have a big season for Rangers after revealing the attacker is “in a fantastic place” following a stand-out performance against Alashkert.

Ianis Hagi has been impressing Rangers boss Steven Gerrard. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The Romanian playmaker produced an energetic display in the Europa League play-off tie at Ibrox on Thursday to help 10-man Gers earn a 1-0 first leg win ahead of the return in Armenia next week.

There has been speculation surrounding the future of the 22-year-old, who is the son of Barcelona legend Gheorghe, with the club reportedly turning down bids amid interest from clubs in Spain, Italy and Turkey.

Reflecting on his performance against Alashkert, Gerrard said: "I thought Ianis was superb for the majority of the game.

"He's had a full pre-season and he's in a fantastic place.

"He got that unfortunate kick against Livingston which set him back a bit, but he just seems to be growing and evolving every year.

"He's the ultimate professional. He wants to learn, grow and get better.

"We're all well aware of the stable he's come from. He's got a real iconic father figure who he wants to follow in the footsteps of.

"We don't want to put that pressure on him but there's a lot of traits of his professionalism. He loves the game and wants to improve and get to the top.

"He's a pleasure to work with and we can see the development in him every single season. He's getting stronger, and he's adapted to the league a lot better now.

"His performances have been really strong so far and I expect him to have a real good season if we can keep him healthy."

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