Sensational’ player and McInnes favourite included – 3 Rangers contract priorities

The Belgian midfielder wanted out this summer, didn’t get his move, and has now reportedly agreed to push for the title. What happens next is another matter

For most of the summer, Nicolas Raskin looked like the Rangers player least likely to be at Ibrox in October. He had come back from the World Cup with a reputation that had grown, clubs across Europe were circling, and he was left out of the squad for two matches amid speculation that a move was imminent. Then the window closed, and he was still a Rangers player.

Now the story has taken another turn. According to Football Insider, Raskin is happy to see out the season at Ibrox, provided Rangers can mount a genuine challenge for the league title. The club, for its part, is adamant it does not want to lose him mid-campaign, and views next summer as the best moment to cash in.

That is the context for the idea that Raskin has “agreed” something. What has been settled, as far as the reporting goes, is an understanding about this season. What has not been settled is a new contract. This piece looks at how we got here, what Raskin himself has said, what Derek McInnes has done with him, and why the long-term picture still points to a departure.

## The summer that never ended

Raskin’s name had been on the transfer list for years. Rangers have repeatedly fended off interest in him, and the 2026 summer was meant to be the point at which a deal finally came to fruition. He performed impressively for Belgium at the World Cup, and the Scotsman reported before the window that Hull City and Bologna were thought to be leading the chase, with the midfielder having two years left on his Ibrox contract. Other reports named Besiktas, Real Betis and Villarreal as interested parties, and an earlier link to Roma had also surfaced.

Yet no deal materialised. Rangers did not receive a bid that met their valuation, or at least not one that came together before the window shut. As the deadline approached, McInnes said publicly that no formal offer had been received for Raskin and that if there were no bids, the player should be in the team, because he was in his view the best midfielder in the league by a distance.

That statement was telling. It was a manager signalling that the squad’s best asset was staying unless someone paid the right price, and that he intended to use him.

## Raskin’s own words

What made the saga unusual was the player’s willingness to speak about it. While on international duty with Belgium in September, Raskin told Sporza that he had been mentally ready to leave. He described the situation as a disappointment, but added that he was not in a position where he absolutely had to go. Asked whether he wanted to take the next step in his career and keep progressing, he said yes.

That is a candid admission, and it carries weight. Footballers who are unhappy tend to say so indirectly, while those who are content usually say the right things. Raskin chose to acknowledge that his head had been elsewhere, while stopping short of anything that would make his position at Rangers untenable. He did not demand a move, and he did not threaten to down tools.

It also tells us something about how he sees the club. His comments suggest he respects Rangers and sees the situation as a matter of timing rather than conflict. He is, in effect, saying that his ambitions go beyond Ibrox, but that he is professional enough to keep playing at his best until they can be met.

The most visible sign of the tension was on the pitch. For the second consecutive match, Raskin was left out of the squad when Rangers beat Aberdeen 1-0 at Pittodrie, with Dan Neil and Cammy Devlin starting in midfield. A Scotsman columnist described it as a curious case and suggested that Rangers were clearly preparing for life without him.

It was a delicate moment. Dropping a player amid transfer speculation can protect a club from a sudden walk-out or an injury, but it can also unsettle the dressing room and damage the player’s value. When the window closed with Raskin still at the club, he was reinstated to the starting line-up for the 2-1 win over Falkirk. McInnes said he expected the Belgian to remain at the club until at least the start of next year.

Since then, there have been no signs of him letting the summer’s uncertainty affect his performances. He has had a strong start to the season, and the team has responded with encouraging results, including back-to-back wins over Celtic.

According to Football Insider’s sources, Raskin’s willingness to stay is conditional. He is understood to be happy to see out the season at Ibrox provided the club can make a genuine challenge for the league title. In other words, he wants something to play for.

That condition makes sense. A player with Raskin’s ambitions has two main reasons to stay: the chance to win silverware and the prospect of improving his standing before the next window. Rangers’ recent results have given him both. The scepticism that surrounded McInnes’ appointment has, in the space of a few weeks, turned to optimism, and a title push offers a platform to strengthen his case for a bigger move.

There is also a practical benefit for the player. A strong season in a successful team increases his market value, and it keeps him in the shop window. If Rangers win the league or compete deep into the season, interested clubs will have more reason to pay a premium.

It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. The club gets its best midfielder for the campaign, and the player gets a chance to leave on a high.

This is where the headline and the reporting diverge. Raskin’s current contract runs until the summer of 2028. He signed a four-and-a-half-year deal, with an option for another year, when he joined from Standard Liège in January 2023 for a fee reported at £1.5 million plus bonuses. There had been a belief among supporters that the deal ended in 2027, but the Rangers Review established that it runs a year longer.

Rangers have tried to extend it before. In 2025, there were reports that the club had opened talks to reward him with improved terms and tie him down for longer. Nothing came of it. More recently, Football Insider’s sources say there is very little chance of him signing a new contract, and that the club has effectively delayed the inevitable when it comes to his long-term future.

Daily Record journalist Keith Jackson made a similar point before the World Cup. He said he did not expect Raskin to sign a new deal, adding that if he did, he would be an obvious candidate to take over the captaincy. That comment illustrates how much the club would value the gesture, and how unlikely it now appears.

The logic is straightforward. A player who is mentally ready to leave is not going to commit his future to the club. Extending a contract is a statement of long-term intent, and everything Raskin has said and done suggests his focus lies elsewhere.

The most intriguing recent development is the suggestion that Rangers and Raskin have reached an understanding. Former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness told Football Insider’s podcast that he believes Rangers will have spoken to the player behind the scenes and will be prepared to make sure an exit works for both parties next summer.

Wyness described the situation as delaying the inevitable. In his view, the priority now is to keep Raskin happy, get him involved and make sure he is positive, while agreeing how his departure will be handled. He said the player will know that something is going to happen to allow him to leave at the right time.

This should be treated as an informed opinion rather than a confirmed fact. Wyness is not a club insider, and the arrangement he describes is an inference. But it matches the other reporting. Football Insider’s separate story says Rangers view next summer as the best time to cash in, while not wanting to lose him in the middle of the season.

If that is the plan, it is a sensible one. It gives the club the benefit of his best form for a full campaign, and it gives the player a clear path out

The timing is not accidental. With his contract expiring in 2028, Raskin will enter the final two years of his deal next summer. At that point, his value to a selling club is still high, but it starts to decline as the contract shortens. A player with one year left can walk away for nothing, and buyers know it.

That is why next summer is described as the best opportunity to cash in. Wait longer, and Rangers risk a significant drop in the fee. Sell earlier, and they lose a key player in the middle of a title challenge.

The numbers involved are substantial. Earlier reports suggested a fee of £20 million or more would be needed to prise him away, and some estimates have placed his value higher. Whatever the exact figure, he would be among the most lucrative sales in the club’s recent history, and the proceeds would feed directly into the buy-develop-sell cycle that Rangers have followed for years.

That cycle matters beyond Raskin. As other stories this week have highlighted, the club’s ability to generate transfer income determines how ambitious it can be in the market. A big sale next summer would help fund the next wave of signings.

None of this would matter if Raskin were not a very good player. His record speaks for itself. He made 16 goal involvements for the club in all competitions last term, a strong return for a central midfielder. He has been a regular for Belgium, and his performances at the World Cup raised his profile significantly. At Rangers, he has won the League Cup and has been one of the team’s highest performers since arriving in 2023.

McInnes has options in midfield. The summer recruitment brought in Dan Neil, Cammy Devlin and Vanja Dragojevic, and Neil and Devlin were the pairing when Raskin was left out at Aberdeen. But the general view is that Raskin is an upgrade on both. His ability to control the tempo, win the ball and move it forward gives the team an edge that is hard to replace.

The Scotsman columnist who watched the Aberdeen match made a similar point. Both Neil and Devlin did fine, he said, but Raskin should be an upgrade. That is the dilemma for any club contemplating a sale: the player you want to sell is also the one you most need.

The motivation question.A player who has publicly said he was ready to leave could, in theory, lose focus. So far there is no sign of that, but it is a risk over a long season, particularly if results dip.

Injury. An injury would damage his market value and complicate the plan for a summer sale. It is the standard risk with any player the club intends to sell.

The January window. If a major offer arrives in the winter, Rangers will have to decide whether to stick to their stance. The club has said it does not want to lose him mid-season, but a big enough bid could change that.

Dressing-room dynamics.Having a player who is known to be leaving can affect team spirit. McInnes will need to manage the situation carefully, ensuring Raskin remains fully committed without the rest of the squad feeling destabilised.

The title race. The whole arrangement depends on Rangers being in contention. If the team falls away, Raskin’s willingness to stay could evaporate.

Rangers fans are used to this kind of situation, and reactions tend to divide. Some are philosophical, accepting that a player of this calibre will eventually move on and that the club’s role is to extract the maximum benefit. Others are more frustrated, feeling that a player who admits he wanted to leave should not expect to be a first-choice starter.

Still, the mood is generally pragmatic. Raskin has performed consistently, and the prospect of a title push with him in the side is attractive. Supporters tend to forgive a player who gives everything on the pitch, even if his long-term plans lie elsewhere.

There is also an understanding that the alternative is worse. A player who is unhappy and unwilling to perform would be a problem. One who is professional and focused, even while looking ahead, is an asset.

The head coach deserves credit for his handling of the situation. He was candid about the player’s importance, publicly describing him as the best midfielder around, while also acknowledging that a move could happen if the right offer came. When the window closed, he moved quickly to reintegrate Raskin, and he has used him as a central figure since.

That approach has several advantages. It keeps the player engaged, it signals to the squad that the best players will be selected on merit, and it protects the club’s position in any future negotiations. A manager who treats a wantaway player with respect is far more likely to get the best out of him.

It also reflects McInnes’ broader style. He has shown a willingness to be pragmatic, to work with the group he has, and to avoid unnecessary drama. In a situation that could easily have become divisive, he has kept it under control.

Several developments will shape the next few months.

Raskin’s form. His performances will determine both his value and the team’s prospects. A strong run would help Rangers’ title bid and increase interest.

Any contract news. Despite the expectation that he won’t extend, an unexpected announcement would change everything. It looks unlikely but cannot be ruled out. The January window. Whether a bid arrives, and how Rangers respond, will reveal how firm the “not mid-season” stance really is.

Named suitors. The clubs interested in the summer included Hull City, Bologna, Besiktas, Real Betis and Villarreal. Which of them, or others, return will matter.

The league race. The better Rangers do, the more convincing the case for Raskin staying, and the higher the price when he eventually goes.

The Nicolas Raskin story has moved from a summer of speculation to something more settled, but not resolved. He wanted to leave, and he said so openly. The move did not happen, and he has since returned to the side and performed well. According to reports, he is happy to stay and push for the title, and Rangers are happy to have him.

What has not changed is the underlying picture. His contract runs to 2028, but there is very little chance he will sign a new one, and the club appears to be planning for a sale next summer. Whether or not there is a formal agreement, the expectation on all sides seems to be that this is his last season at Ibrox.

For Rangers, the task is to get the most out of him while he is there, and to make sure the eventual departure is on their terms. For Raskin, it is to finish well, win something if he can, and leave on a high. If both sides do what they appear to intend, the arrangement could work well for everyone, and the thing that has been “agreed” is not a new contract but a shared understanding that the end is in sight