The current international break will allow Glasgow Rangers the ideal chance to rest and recover ahead of the final few weeks of the 2023/24 campaign.
The break should give Philippe Clement time to assess his squad ahead of the summer transfer window, looking to see what positions he needs to improve, while figuring out the players who are surplus to requirements.
The previous few weeks saw the first team squad stretched to the limit due to the hectic schedule, meaning the Belgian manager had to pitch in players from the cold in important matches.
One notable example was Scott Wright starting against Benfica. The winger has featured sporadically under Clement since last October but was given a chance to impress against the Portuguese giants.
The Scot did show a glimpse of his talent, but will this be enough to keep him at Ibrox next season?
Scott Wright’s season in numbers
The winger was close to sealing an exit from Glasgow last summer, as Turkish side Pendikspor made a £500k bid for him when Michael Beale was still in charge of the Light Blues.
A few weeks later, however, the move ground to a halt over wage demands, with Wright remaining in Scotland to fight for his place in the first team.
He made four appearances – totalling just 97 minutes – before Beale was dismissed after the 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen in September.
Goals
0
Assists
0
Key passes per game
0.6
Successful dribbles per game
0.4
Big chances created
1
Via Sofascore
The emergence of Ross McCausland saw Wright bench-bound under Clement and, at the time of writing, he had made only six starts for the Gers since mid-October.
Against Benfica, Wright did show plenty of attacking intent, constantly running at full-back Fredrik Aursnes, succeeding with three of his five dribble attempts while winning four of his six ground duels, and it was a mature performance at perhaps the right time.
McCausland has, however, established himself as the de facto number-one choice on the right wing under the Belgian and with Wright's contract expiring in 2025, this summer is the ideal chance for the club to move him on for some sort of transfer fee.
The 50-year-old tactician could delve into the transfer market this summer for a replacement, or he could utilise a player who Rangers sent out on loan last summer – Ianis Hagi.
How Ianis Hagi is doing out on loan
Hagi’s spell at Ibrox was going swimmingly until January 21st, 2022. During a Scottish Cup tie against Stirling Albion, Hagi suffered a serious knee injury in the early stages of the match, eventually forcing him to miss the rest of the season.
He made his comeback during the second half of last season, but was restricted to just 11 appearances, scoring once for the Gers as he was looking to bounce back to full fitness.
Beale ended up sending the Romanian dynamo out on loan to Spanish side Deportivo Alaves with the hope that regular game time would allow him to return to Glasgow in a better physical condition.
So far during the 2023/24 campaign, Hagi has played 22 games for the club, scoring twice, and registering an assist, a decent, if slightly underwhelming return, since arriving in Spain.
Despite starting only six matches in La Liga, Hagi has created three big chances, averages 1.1 key passes per game and succeeded with 59% of his attempted dribbles, showing glimpses of his ability.
Although typically an attacking midfielder, Hagi has operated on the right wing numerous times during his career, especially at Rangers, where he sometimes played in a front three alongside Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, to devastating effect.
There is no doubt he would be a better option for Clement to call upon than Wright on the flank, given his return to playing on a more regular basis, and it could be like having a new signing in the team.
Ianis Hagi’s Rangers statistics
The playmaker arrived in Glasgow to much fanfare in January 2020 as Steven Gerrard secured his signature on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Of course, at that stage, no one knew that the Covid-19 pandemic was going to halt proceedings, yet Hagi did not take long to introduce himself to the Ibrox faithful.
On his first start for the club against Hibs, Hagi scored a late winner to seal all three points before surpassing that just two weeks later.
In their Europa League last 32 clash against Braga, the Gers were trailing 2-0. Step up Hagi. The then-youngster scored a wonderful effort to make it 2-1 before Joe Aribo scored a stunning solo goal to level things up with just over ten minutes remaining.
When Rangers get a freekick on the edge of the Braga box, there is only one outcome, as Hagi scores his second of the night and secures a famous comeback win.
Gerrard – who described him as an “absolute dream to work with” – secured Hagi on a permanent deal ahead of the 2020/21 season.
The Romanian scored eight goals and grabbed 15 assists as the Light Blues won their first league crown in a decade and his performances were vital in them achieving success.
There is no doubt his presence in the starting XI could benefit certain players, with Danilo being one.
During that title-winning season, Hagi created six big chances and averaged one key pass per game, showcasing his creative abilities.
This could allow him to work well with the Brazilian striker – who looks set to make a comeback from his knee injury next month – by providing him with plenty of chances during games, with Danilo netting four times from just 12 league outings this season.
If given a consistent run of matches, Hagi could certainly get back to the form he displayed prior to suffering that horrendous knee injury two years ago. The question is, will Clement want to bring him back into the fold?
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The midfielder signed an extended contract with the Gers back in 2022 and if the Belgian manager wanted to sell him, he could secure a respectable transfer fee for him.
Following his injury, however, Hagi could return and target a first team spot ahead of next season, and he could work well with the current players in the squad.
