Ianis Hagi Rangers transfer battle is on as boss set to take on Romanian rivals

Ianis Hagi is set to be the subject of a bidding war in the final week of the transfer window after a second club declared their interest in the out of favour Rangers star.

The Romania international has been frozen out of first team affairs by Philippe Clement, with the attacking midfielder keeping himself fit with the Gers B team after returning from a season-long loan with Alaves in La Liga. Hagi - who still has two years left on his contract at Ibrox - last appeared in a competitive fixture for the club in a Premier Sports Cup tie with Morton in August 2023.

Earlier this week, Liga 1 side Rapid Bucharest - who parted company with manager Neil Lennon on Tuesday after just six games in charge - revealed their desire to bring the 39-time Romania cap back to his homeland. And they have now been joined by league rivals Universitatea Craiova - who face Rapid on Saturday - in pursuit of the Gers outcast.

The club's manager Costel Garcia went as far as name-dropping Hagi in his pre-match press conference, saying: "The University of Craiova would also be interested in a player like Ianis Hagi." Gers boss Clement knows he needs to offload players before brining more players in before the August 30 deadline - and fellow midfielder Todd Cantwell is another player who could depart before next Friday.

The former Norwich City man has handed in a transfer request and has since trained away from the first team. The Englishman had been linked with a switch to Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah, but as of yet Rangers are yet to receive any offers for his services.