Rangers set to be dealt another transfer blow despite window being closed as £20k 'stumbling block' emerges

The summer transfer window is shut in the UK which means clubs across Scotland can no longer bring in new faces to strengthen their squads for the first half of the 2024/25 season.

However, the window remains open across some other parts of Europe and the rest of the world so it’s not too late for certain clubs to come in with bids for Scottish based players. That is something Rangers had reportedly hoped to take advantage off as they looked to remove an outcasted player from their books.

Ianis Hagi has been training with Rangers B team and has not made a first team appearance in over a year since last August’s 2-1 Scottish League Cup win over Championship side Greenock Morton. He spent last season on loan at Alaves in Spain.

The reason for the Romanian international’s exile is reportedly because the 25-year old attacker is in line for a salary increase if he makes 100 appearances for the Ibrox club and currently sits on 99 in all competitions. However, he is still under contract with the Glasgow club who will be keen to get rid of him on a permanent basis if there continue to be no plans to involve him in the first team.

They would have hoped that FC Steaua București (FCSB) would be able to offer Hagi a route out of Rangers and a return to his homeland with their reigning champions. However, his reported current salary of £20,000 per week has reportedly proved to be a ‘stumbling block’ for the 1986 European Cup winners - according to Football Insider.

Romanian clubs have until September 9 to conclude their transfer window business but the report claims that Hagi is set to reject an approach from Rangers’ UEFA Europa League rivals. There are still other transfer windows open in some minor European league and in the middle east though so the Gers’ may yet receive an offer that tempts Hagi and sees him finally move on from the club permanently.