Ianis Hagi needs a Rangers manager who loves him as dad Gheorghe calls on Philippe Clement yet again

Hagi has barely featured for Gers this season after being reintroduced to the first team following a contract dispute last month

Gheorghe Hagi has called on Philippe Clement to start giving his son Ianis a run of games at Rangers.

Hagi Jr impressed for Romania on international duty last week, but since being reintroduced to the Light Blues first team by Clement last month following a contract dispute, has played just 14 minutes as a substitute against Aberdeen after getting sent off on his comeback against St Johnstone on October 6.

The attacking midfielder - who was left out of Rangers' Europa League squad - spent the whole of last season on loan at Alaves in La Liga and hasn't started a game at Ibrox since May 2023 during previous manager Michael Beale's tenure in Govan. But his father Gheroghe, a former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Galatasaray star who is widely considered to be the greatest Romanian footballer of all time, has urged Clement to give his son a fair crack at the whip.

Speaking after Farul Constanta's loss to to Otelul on Friday night, the manager and club owner said: "It's important Ianis finds a manager who loves him and gives him the opportunity to play regularly. Ianis loves this job and I hope he plays as much as possible for his club team. I believe he is a very valuable player who has demonstrated that both in Romania and abroad.

"All of us who have played football have gone through hard times, the important thing is to face it up. And he showed in his last match for Romania just how important a player he could be.

"Every single time he gets the opportunity, he delivers. But to prove that you are good, you have to play. He is aware of this."