Rapid Bucharest has set its sights on Rangers’ midfielder Ianis Hagi, following the appointment of Marius Șumudică as the club’s new manager. Șumudică, who was unveiled as the new head coach today, returns to Rapid after previous successful stints. His appointment comes in the wake of Neil Lennon’s dismissal, after the Celtic legend failed to secure a single win in the first six league matches, leaving the team languishing in 12th place in Romania’s top-flight league.
During a press conference with Digi Sport, Șumudică expressed his interest in Hagi, saying, “Ianis Hagi is a high-value player that I think every club wants. We’ll see. We have some discussions, we’ll see how they go. I hope he’ll be interested in coming to Rapid. That’s the most important thing.”
Rapid Bucharest’s shareholder, Dan Șucu, echoed this sentiment but was more direct in his response when asked about the potential transfer. “We really want him,” Șucu stated simply.
Hagi, 25, has been training and playing with Rangers’ B team as the Scottish club looks to find a new club for him following his loan spell at Alavés last season. This move has raised eyebrows among Rangers supporters, with some questioning why the Romanian international is not being considered for the first team, especially given the squad’s limited options.