Rangers’ £3m ace could see Ibrox future decided by

Take away the Manchester City star’s remarkable collection of silverware, his vast experience and his household name reputation, and the choice between Ilkay Gundogan and Rangers’ £3 million man is far from an easy one.

There are eight years between them – Ilkay Gundogan almost a decade his senior – and what Ianis Hagi may lack in terms of star power, at least outside of Ibrox and his native Romania, he could make up for in terms of longevity, re-sale value, and energy

Turkish champions Galatasaray are putting plans in place for a new attacking midfielder to arrive in Istanbul this summer.

And while it is far from a straight shoot-out between the Manchester City veteran and Rangers’ revitalised Romanian, Ilkay Gundogan and Ianis Hagi are certainly two of the names high on Galatasaray’s wishlist.

ESPN believe that Galatasaray have already made contact with Gundogan’s camp if, as expected, his second spell at the Etihad Stadium comes to an end this summer.

Given his family ties to Turkey, and a CV which includes a spell at Barcelona alongside an enviable collection of trophies with Borussia Dortmund and Pep Guardiola’s Man City outfit, Gundogan is precisely the sort of big-name acquisition Turkey’s most deep-pocketed clubs have tended to prioritise over the years.

On the other side of the coin sits Ianis Hagi.

If his performances in recent months are anything to go by, Gundogan is well past his peak. Hagi, in contrast, looks to be a man hurtling in the other direction.

And while the former KRC Genk starlet would not hog quite so many headlines as Gundogan if he was to join the Galatasaray ranks, it should not be forgotten that he is the son of Cimbom legend Gheorghe Hagi, albeit a footballer now making a name for himself in his own right.

Coach Okan Buruk confirmed his interest in bringing Ianis Hagi to Galatasaray this week.