Rangers have been unable to offload Romanian midfielder Ianis Hagi, with his high wages proving to be a stumbling block, according to sports journalist Hugh MacDonald.
Speaking on PLZ Soccer’s The Journos show on 5 September, MacDonald revealed that Hagi’s reported £25,000-a-week contract is making it difficult for other clubs to sign him. A potential move to Rapid Bucharest recently collapsed after the player rejected the deal before the transfer deadline, further complicating his exit plans.
“The reason they can’t get rid of Ianis Hagi is they pay him too much, it’s simple. There’s no great mystery or enigma about it,” MacDonald said during the show. “He’s on x-amount a week, and the teams interested in him are saying at most, ‘We’ll give you half, a third, or even a quarter of that.’”
Hagi, who has been sidelined from first-team action, was reportedly in line for a wage increase upon reaching 100 appearances for the club, according to the Daily Record. Despite this, MacDonald believes no club is willing to match his current salary, making a transfer unlikely.
“The rumours are that he’s on £25,000-plus per week. Rapid Bucharest came in for him, but they’re not going to pay that kind of money. This isn’t an isolated case, and we know from their annual figures that Rangers’ wage bill is actually higher than Celtic’s. You have to ask yourself, ‘How is that possible?’” MacDonald added.
With the transfer window now closed, it remains to be seen whether Rangers will find a solution for Hagi’s future at the club.