Ianis Hagi in Rangers fitness pledge as dad Gheorghe offers 'mentally tough' injury nightmare insight

Gheorghe Hagi has backed his son Ianis to hit the same lofty heights the Rangers star was reaching before he suffered his devastating knee injury.

The Ibrox ace faces being ruled out for as long as nine months after rupturing a cruciate ligament in Gers’ Scottish Cup stroll against Stirling back in January.

It was initially expected the Romanian ace would be sidelined until the summer but Ibrox boss Gio van Bronckhorst admitted he may not be seen back in action until after next season is underway.

That’s a major blow to 23-year-old but his dad Gheorghe has been impressed by his boy’s resolve and determination to fight his way back to fitness with Rangers.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid ace, who was in Glasgow over the weekend to take part in a legends game marking Gers’ 150th anniversary, said after returning home to Romania: "Ianis is fine, he looks good mentally, he is recovering every day.

“He has accepted everything and now he works hard every day to progress.

“I saw him in Glasgow looking very well, I hope he recovers as soon as possible.

“He had an injury, it was a serious one, but he is strong and he accepted it. He is working to get back to the way he was before, which was an ideal period for him "