In one of the more bizarre transfer soundbites of the summer, Romanian FA technical director Mihai Stoichiță has urged Celtic to sign Ianis Hagi, simply to beat Rangers.
Yes, really.
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The former Ibrox midfielder, currently without a club after leaving Rangers earlier this summer, is back in his homeland training with Farul Constanța, the club owned by his father Gheorghe Hagi.
Ianis had been linked with a shock return to Ibrox earlier this summer after his agent attempted to reopen contract talks with Rangers following his exit at the end of last season but this route back was rejected by new head coach Russell Martin.
Despite reported interest from Legia Warsaw and a fresh contract offer from Steaua Bucharest, Stoichiță bizarrely believes a move to Celtic would be a good idea... for the purpose of getting one over on Rangers.
Speaking in Romania, the national team chief said: “I would be happy to see Ianis Hagi at Celtic. Let him play for them and beat Rangers.”
It’s a strange statement; not least given the respect Hagi still commands among many in the Rangers support, and the fact he remains a free agent after parting ways with the club only a few months ago.
During his time at Ibrox, Hagi showed flashes of brilliance, not least in Rangers’ 2020/21 title-winning campaign.
His time in Glasgow was unfortunately curtailed by a long-term injury, a loan move to Alavez in La Liga and a contract dispute that seen his final year begin with him in the wilderness but there’s no doubting the quality the 26-year-old possesses when fit.
The playmaker has since been weighing up his next move, with Bucharest now pushing hard to secure his signature.
Should they advance past Drita FC in the Europa League third qualifying round, it could even set up a potential playoff clash with Aberdeen, and an unexpected return to Scotland, albeit in different colours.
But for a figure of Stoichiță’s stature to publicly attempt to steer Hagi towards Parkhead, purely to spite Rangers, raises eyebrows and perhaps gives a glimpse into the Hagi camp after his return was denied.
If anything, it’s a backhanded compliment. Rangers remain the benchmark in Scottish football, to the point where national football officials from abroad are now fantasising about getting one over on them.
And while Hagi remains a free agent, there’s no suggestion that a Celtic move is on the cards – nor would such a switch be likely, given the midfielder’s strong ties to Ibrox.
Rangers have moved on under Russell Martin, with a new-look squad being shaped ahead of a crucial season on multiple fronts.
But it seems, even when players leave, the obsession from some quarters never quite fades.