Glasgow Rangers finally won an Old Firm match under Philippe Clement on Thursday as the Ibrox side blew Celtic away with a phenomenal display in the traditional festive clash between the two.
Given the respective form of both teams, a 3-0 win for Rangers certainly didn’t appear on the radar, but the performance must give the manager hope that the second half of the season can be better than the first.
Much of the improved display against Celtic was down to a dynamic front four who worked well together to cause the defence all sorts of problems. Nedim Bajrami showed his class as a number ten, while Hamza Igamane’s movement drew opposition players out of position regularly.
It was the two wingers – Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny – who proved to be the most creative in attack. Cerny hit the woodwork twice while Hagi not only scored the opener, but he also delivered eight crosses into the box and made four key passes during the course of the game.
It looks as though he is finally back to his brilliant best after a contract dispute threatened to end his Ibrox spell sooner than expected.
If he can maintain this sort of form, the Romanian will be a huge asset to Clement between now and the end of the campaign. That’s a certainty.
Ianis Hagi’s Rangers statistics
It is hard to believe that Steven Gerrard signed Hagi five years ago. The baby-faced attacking midfielder enjoyed a solid first few months in Glasgow, with the highlights being the two goals he scored against Braga to seal a 3-2 comeback win.
Throughout the 2020/21 season, the player played a starring role as the Gers won the Premiership title unbeaten. Hagi not only registered 18 goal contributions – seven goals and 11 assists – in the top flight alone, but he averaged one key pass per game while creating nine big chances.
Metric
2020/21
2021/22
2024/25
Goals
7
2
1
Assists
11
0
3
Big chances created
6
2
3
Shots per game
1.8
2.4
2.2
Key passes per game
1
1.5
1.9
Hagi looked to build upon this during the following campaign and while he was a regular in the starting XI, against Stirling Albion in a Scottish Cup tie, the playmaker suffered a season-ending injury which halted his progress.
By the time he returned to full fitness, Michael Beale was in charge and clearly didn’t fancy him, sending him on loan to Alaves in La Liga for the 2023/24 season.
His commitment to the club is clear, managing to sort out the contractual dispute which threatened to end his stay in Glasgow, and it now looks like he could be an important player for the team.
With the winter window now open, Clement will be keen to make a few signings to add some much-needed depth to his first-team squad.
There have already been a few names linked with a move to Ibrox, but there is one player who has been touted with a move to Rangers before. Not only that, but he could be the next Hagi for the club…
Rangers keen on signing Romanian sensation
Before Christmas, the Daily Record claimed that Rangers were reportedly keen on a deal to sign FCSB midfielder Darius Olaru when the January transfer window opened.
The player has a release clause of just €4m (£3.3m) inserted into his contract, which makes him an attractive option for Clement, especially if some deadwood could be moved on this month.
The Ibrox side first began to show interest in Olaru a couple of years ago, even going as far as sending scouts to monitor his performances when Beale was in charge.
No move ever materialised then, but could 2025 be different? £3.3m might sound lavish considering the current financial issues as the club, but if a few players are sold, then a move for the FCSB star should be a priority.
Darius Olaru’s season in numbers
The 25-cap Romanian international has been in excellent form for his club side this season. Across 30 appearances in all competitions, he has scored 15 goals while registering seven assists.
Domestically, the attacking midfielder has been on fire. He has created six big chances, averaging three key passes per game along with averaging 3.3 shots per game, proving that he is a major attacking threat.
He has even shone in the Europa League, registering three goal contributions in just four matches, although he did miss the clash against Rangers due to suspension.
Bringing in a player of his ability would certainly boost the club, and it would also be beneficial for Hamza Igamane, who could work well playing ahead of Olaru.
Olaru could be a dream signing for Hamza Igamane
Igamane has been excellent since making his debut for the Light Blues at the start of September. He has scored eight times for the Light Blues in that time and has even attracted the interest of Everton too.
Having someone of Olaru’s stature playing just behind him and creating chance after chance would certainly allow the Moroccan striker to score more regularly.
When compared to positional peers in the Europa League this season, Olaru ranks in the top 10% for key passes per 90 (2.85) and in the top 19% for crosses per 90 (4.56), indicating that his teammates benefit from his creative talents in the final third.
Scottish content creator Kai Watson lavished praise on the midfielder in November 2024, saying:
“No idea where we would be getting the money from but he’d be an incredible signing. An aggressive presser that’s also press resistant, can create chances and score goals.”
It would be money well spent should Rangers make a concrete move to bring the Romanian to Ibrox and, after the success of his compatriot Hagi, Olaru could have a similar impact at the club.
Much will depend on other factors, but if Clement has the money available, then signing the FCSB sensation could improve further during his time in Scotland.
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