Glasgow Rangers face a summer filled with plenty of transfer activity as Philippe Clement looks set to totally rejuvenate a playing squad which failed to win either the Premiership or Scottish Cup last season.
It was perhaps no surprise to see the likes of James Tavernier and Connor Goldson fail to lift the club in the dying weeks of the season, having failed to inspire the Gers in recent years.
Steven Gerrard remains interested in signing the duo this summer, and it could be a tempting prospect should an official bid actually arrive from the former Light Blues boss.
If Clement does sell the pair, it could be the catalyst which heralds in a fresh era at Ibrox. Others will be sold this summer too, with Sam Lammers one player who most certainly will be departing the club.
Why Rangers will sell Sam Lammers this summer
According to the Rangers Review at the end of last month, Lammers will be sold during the summer transfer window in order to raise funds for Clement.
Much was made of his arrival in June last year as Michael Beale looked to bolster his attacking options. Six months later, it looked as though it was £3m down the drain as the Dutchman had found the back of the net on just two occasions.
The former Atalanta man was often played out of position as a number ten, which meant he failed to showcase his talents in front of goal, and it was clear he was surplus to requirements by Clement when January rolled around.
Indeed, no sooner had the window opened that Lammers joined FC Utrecht on a six-month loan spell in a bid to secure regular game time, and it proved to be a solid move for the player.
In just 20 games for the Dutch side, Lammers managed to net 11 goals while registering three assists as he looked comfortable in his homeland.
Not only will Rangers be looking to recoup the £3m they paid for him last year, but to also get his £18k-per-week wages off the bill in a bid to free up some funds.
He won’t be the only player to leave having spent a period out on loan last term, as Ianis Hagi’s future looks increasingly in doubt, especially after his latest comments.
Ianis Hagi’s future at Rangers
Hagi spent the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Spanish side Deportivo Alaves in a bid to recapture the form which made him a fan favourite at Ibrox prior to suffering a serious knee injury in 2022.
The Romanian played 28 times, scoring only twice as the loan spell failed to really ignite his confidence. He will return to Rangers at the end of Euro 2024, where he will represent his nation in Germany, but for how long?
He delivered an update on his future last week, saying: "My focus is on the Euros. I had talks with my agents and the pressure is on them.
"They know what I want for my future, it's a pretty important summer for me from all points of view. I told them before going to the national team what I wanted.
"I expect them to work as well as possible, to find the right team and the right manager for me. I can't say if I'll be at Rangers or somewhere else. My future depends on my agents."
This is hardly the comment of a player who is expecting to remain with his current side and if an offer arrives this summer, Clement may well cash in on the 25-year-old.
Ianis Hagi’s Rangers statistics
The 6 foot playmaker first joined the club in January 2020 on an initial six-month loan from Belgian side Genk, and he made an instant impact at Ibrox.
His brace against Braga in the Europa League last 16 clash will be fondly remembered among the Ibrox faithful as it allowed the Gers to turn a certain 2-0 defeat into a 3-2 win.
That summer, Steven Gerrard signed him on a permanent deal ahead of the 2020/21 season, one in which he shone. The Romanian scored eight goals and registered 15 assists as the club won their first league title in a decade, and it appeared as though Hagi had a bright future at Rangers.
Gerrard even dubbed Hagi an “absolute dream to work with” during that title-winning campaign, but things soon turned into a nightmare for the former Genk attacking midfielder.
In a Scottish Cup tie against Stirling Albion in January 2022, Hagi suffered an injury which has stalled his progress, keeping him out for around a year, and he hasn’t quite been the same since.
The 25-year-old – who earns £21k-per-week at Ibrox, more than Lammers – is a prime candidate to be sold this summer given how poor he was in La Liga, and it could give Clement some much-needed funds to work with in the transfer window.
The Belgian could save nearly £40k-per-week by moving on both Hagi and Lammers in the next few weeks. Considering that the manager is looking at signing younger talent ahead of the 2024/25 season, this could give the club some financial flexibility.
That moment in January 2022 is certainly a sliding door moment for Hagi and his career since. If he doesn’t get injured, there is a good chance he plays a positive role in the club’s run to the Europa League final, potentially even making the difference against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Unfortunately, Hagi failed to really impress Beale during the Englishman’s spell in charge of the club, which led to him departing on loan.
Clement may decide that he will give the player a chance to impress during pre-season, yet it depends on how far Romania go in Euro 2024.
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The likelihood is that Hagi leaves the Light Blues. If he does, he will leave with the best wishes of everyone at the club.