With the season suspended currently attention has turned to the future of two Rangers’ loanees, and The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell has shared what he thinks will happen.
What did he say?
Rangers look as though they will miss out on silverware once again this season and that gives Steven Gerrard plenty of cause for consideration when shaping his team for next season.
Ianis Hagi and Florian Kamberi both signed loan deals in January that will see them stay at Ibrox until the end of the season, but their future beyond that point is in question.
The Glasgow outfit have the option in place for both players to sign permanently, should Gerrard see fit, but given they have started ten games between them in all competitions it is possible that they haven’t made a big enough impression.
Hagi was hugely influential in the 3-2 win over Braga however, scoring twice, and in doing so proved he has the quality to serve Rangers long-term, particularly as he is only 21.
Responding to a question about the pair’s future, and the possibility of them signing permanently, Campbell said on The Athletic:
“It’s impossible to say given how few games they’ve played. Gerrard has been impressed by Kamberi’s attitude and willingness to take on instruction. I was told Hibs were looking for £2 million for him so at that price you’d imagine it would be impossible to do business, but they will likely have to drop their price considerably.
“Regarding Hagi, I will need to look into whether the option to buy will be triggered if the season is cut short now or whether it is time-specific (i.e. end of June).
“Right now, I’d be reluctant to pay around £4 million for a player who is not consistently reliable enough to be the creative hub of the team. Every signing from now on should be one which would get into the Celtic team.”
Room for improvement
Of Campbell’s comments, the most pertinent point he raises is the last sentence, and the fact that the Gers should only be aiming to bring in players who can raise the team above Celtic’s level.
Squad depth is important to achieving that considering there will likely be European ambitions next season, too, but there also needs to be greater competition for first team places.
Watch Rangers Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below
For example, Alfredo Morelos may have quality, as his return of 29 goals in 45 games suggests, but he is suffering currently with just one goal in 12 games, yet Gerrard has chosen not to opt for Kamberi.
That shows the lack of attacking options available to the Gers boss, as well as what he thinks of the on-loan Hibs man.
Life after football: Do you know what all of these former players did next?
He would be a cheap option who could be used sparingly – such as in domestic cups – but to make up for the current 13-point deficit that Celtic lead by Rangers may need to seek alternatives.
Elsewhere, a decision by the SPFL could have a very interesting outcome for Rangers…
