Romanian footballing legend Gheorghe Hagi has tipped son Ianis to come back even better than before after his Rangers injury hell finally came to an end last month.
After suffering a serious knee injury in the Scottish Cup clash against Stirling Albion just over a year ago, it has been a year to forget on the sidelines for Hagi - especially after experiencing more highs than lows in a Rangers shirt until that point, including completing a famous comeback against Braga in the UEFA Europa League.
Hagi has had to wait in the wings whilst Malik Tillman and Todd Cantwell have all been signed in the attacking midfield spot he once called his own, and alongside a change in manager, the Rangers of present is much different to the Rangers that turned out when Hagi suffered his long-term injury in January 2022. But despite the change, the suffering and the long-awaited return from injury, father Gheorghe - formerly of Barcelona and Real Madrid - claims that his son has studied football differently whilst out of action and will return to the fold better for his time out.
Hagi Sr. said: "Basically, he needs patience. Give him time and he will return better than he was before.
"Ianis was very unlucky to get injured through no intention of his opponent. It was a serious injury, very serious and it wasn't even just a typical knee injury. He came back, he worked very hard and I can already see how he is very happy to be back. But he has only been back a month and great care must be taken because he was out for over a year.
"You can't be out for a year and expect that after just a month back, you will be up to speed with the tactics and especially the physical aspect of the game. During this period out, he matured. Even though he was injured, he watched football and he understands it very, very well now.
"Will he return a better player for it? I think so. He's healthy and mentally strong."
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