Beale insists Hagi is going nowhere

RANGERS manager Michael Beale last night insisted there is no way Ianis Hagi will be moving to Galatasaray — and set him the target of being back fully fit for a starting spot in the Viaplay Cup final against Celtic.

Hagi (below), out for a year with cruciate ligament damage, returned for a late cameo in the Ibrox side’s 2-0 league win over St Johnstone yesterday when replacing Malik Tillman with 18 minutes to play.

Rumours have been circulating in Turkey over Galatasaray, who elevated his father Gheorghe to hero status during days as a player, making a bid for his services — but Beale shot that down and has insisted the 24-year-old’s main focus should be getting up to speed for that Hampden Old Firm date on February 26.

‘I know Galatasaray is close to his heart because he was born there and his dad played for the club, but Ianis is going to play his football at Rangers for a few more years yet so I can dispel that,’ he said.

‘He looks good after being out for a year but let’s see how he settles. By the end of the month, he’ll be wanting to start in a cup final — not watch one.

‘Ianis is nowhere near ready to start. We just had this date in mind and I wasn’t going to budge from it.

‘It was lovely after a year to see him come on at Ibrox and hear the ovation from the fans, hearing how much he means to them.’

Beale also handed Todd Cantwell a debut following his arrival from Norwich City and scotched any suggestion the board are dragging their heels in terms of actioning the other deals he would like done for the likes of Swansea’s Morgan Whittaker and Nicolas Raskin of Standard Liege.

‘People think myself and the board or myself and Ross (Wilson, sporting director) don’t talk,’ he said. ‘But we’re together every day and on the same page.

‘I’d like to add another midfielder to the squad who is powerful and can run. I’d like to add another centre-half to the squad and I’ll probably need to look at the goalie situation in the summer. We’ll be looking for another number nine. Are we going to get all of that done in the next 48 hours? There’s more time in the summer. ‘Nobody wants to strengthen this squad more than the board, Ross and myself. It’s in our interest to build a stronger Rangers than we have right now.’ St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson, meanwhile, has insisted referee Willie Collum got it wrong at Ibrox by sending off Nicky Clark for a 34th-minute tackle on Ryan Jack and then refusing to upgrade a Jack yellow card to a red for a challenge on Adam Montgomery when advised to review the footage pitchside by VAR Nick Walsh. ‘Starting with the Nicky Clark one, I thought it was a bit harsh,’ said Davidson. ‘I thought the player was getting fouled originally, he has lost his balance a little bit as he has gone to ground, he has slipped the ball round and Ryan Jack has come in to him at force, not the other way round.

‘So I just can’t get it, I don’t understand it. It is a really big decision. I don’t think it was a red card and then the tackle on Adam was really late, at speed with force.

‘He has gone to check it, I’ve seen replays of it, and he has missed it. He (Jack) has gone straight-leg with studs at Adam’s ankle and it is a yellow card. There you go, that sums up the game.’

Beale, however, took a contrary view on both incidents. ‘Nicky didn’t mean to hurt Ryan,’ he said. ‘There’s no malice in it. At the last minute, he actually tried to pull back, but he does catch him quite high on his shin. Ryan has the gash to show it. ‘The VAR official has spoken to Willie and decided to send him off.

‘Ryan’s tackle on Montgomery is completely different. It’s low and he’s caught him on the ankle. It’s a yellow card anywhere on the park.’