Glasgow Rangers decided to part ways with English head coach Michael Beale earlier this month after his dismal start to the 2023/24 campaign.
The 43-year-old tactician lost three of his four Scottish Premiership matches and failed to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League with a 7-2 defeat to PSV on aggregate in their play-off clash.
Beale failed to win a single trophy throughout the 2022/23 season after he was brought in to replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst during the break for the 2022 World Cup.
Matches
30
Wins
23
Points
71
Titles
Zero
This led to an overhaul of the squad during the summer transfer window as the club allowed the ex-Gers assistant to revamp his options with a host of new additions.
Who did Rangers sign this summer?
Leon Balogun, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland, Abdallah Sima, Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, Dujon Sterling, and Jose Cifuentes all came through the door, and this opened the door for a number of departures.
Glen Kamara, Fashion Sakala, Antonio Colak, and Ianis Hagi were all either sold or loaned out to make way for the new signings ahead of this season. That came after the likes of Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield, and Alfredo Morelos, among others, moved on at the end of their respective contracts.
However, Beale's transfer business did not have the desired effect and one move, in particular, that looks to have been a blunder was the decision to move Hagi out on loan.
The Romania international returned to action earlier this year after 69 matches out with a knee injury, that was sustained at the start of 2022, and only started three Premiership matches last term before he was sent out to Alaves on a temporary basis.
Rangers, however, could have been better off if they had kept their faith in Hagi instead of swooping to sign Dowell from Norwich on a free transfer.
How has Dowell performed this season?
The former Everton youth prospect has produced one goal and zero chances created in six appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues since his move from the Canaries.
Dowell has been out injured since the 2-2 draw with PSV on the 22nd of August but failed to hit the ground running in Scotland prior to that knock.
The 26-year-old maestro has played two Premiership matches for the Scottish giants so far and produced one goal and zero key passes in those games, along with a pass completion rate of just 71%.
Beale opted against starting him in any of the three Champions League qualifiers that he was available for selection for, which suggests that the English gem did not do enough to convince the head coach that he was ready to make an impact at that level.
How many goals did Dowell score last season?
The left-footed whiz arrived at Ibrox off the back of a five-goal season in the Championship with Norwich under Dean Smith and David Wagner during the 2022/23 campaign.
Dowell contributed with five goals and three assists in 23 league outings for the Canaries to go along with one key pass per game on average, as per Sofascore.
In total, the English midfielder scored 12 goals and assisted six in 75 matches for his former club in all competitions across three seasons at Carrow Road.
This means that he averaged a goal or an assist every 4.17 games for Norwich during his time in East Anglia, which shows that Dowell struggled to deliver quality at the top end of the pitch on a consistent basis.
How many goals has Hagi scored for Rangers?
Hagi, who was hailed as "impressive" by journalist Joshua Barrie earlier this year, has scored 16 goals in 99 matches in all competitions for the Light Blues since his £3m move to the club from Genk.
The versatile gem can play as an attacking or central midfielder as well as off the right as a winger, just like Dowell, and has the quality to chip in with goals and assists.
His horrific knee injury, which kept him out for 12 months, left him short of match fitness when he returned last season but his previous form for the Light Blues suggests that the potential is there for him to make a huge impact on the pitch.
During the 2020/21 campaign under Steven Gerrard, the Romanian wizard produced an outstanding seven goals and 11 assists in 23 Premiership starts. He also created six 'big chances' for his teammates and completed 82% of his attempted passes throughout the league season.
In total, Hagi has scored 16 and assisted 21 goals in his 99 games for the club and this means that he has averaged a contribution every 2.68 matches on average, which is significantly better than the aforementioned return that Dowell managed for Norwich.
How has Hagi performed this season?
The talented whiz, who is also two years younger than the current Gers midfielder, has created two 'big chances' and provided eight key passes in four La Liga starts for Alaves.
He has showcased his creative quality in the top-flight of Spanish football since leaving Ibrox on loan over the summer, whilst Dowell is yet to create a single chance in his six appearances for the club to date.
Hagi also provided supporters with a reminder of his talent with a stunning display for Romania against Andorra during the international break.
Sofascore rating
8.9
Goals
One
Assists
One
Big chances created
One
Penalties won
One
Hagi's most recent performance (via Sofascore)
The 24-year-old magician is capable of producing magic moments with his ability to score and create goals from an attacking midfield position and has already proven himself at Premiership level for Rangers in the past.
Therefore, it was a big blunder by Beale to loan him out in favour of a deal to sign Dowell as the Gers could have been in a better position if they had stuck by the Romania international and helped him to rediscover his best form.
He is younger than the former Norwich man and boasted a better career record, in terms of goals and assists, than the left-footed gem prior to their respective moves over the summer.
New head coach Philippe Clement may want to reassess the situation in January and see if there is a possibility for Hagi to return to Ibrox in order to be given a chance to reignite his Rangers career under the Belgian boss.
