There has been a breaking story in the last 24 hours pertaining to Nico Raskin and the notion the Rangers hierarchy are keen to tie him down to a big new contract. Obviously this has made very big buzz on social media as Rangers offer Nico Raskin a deal and some of the red tops have also run with this story, but there are a number of problems behind it, as Ibrox Noise now elaborates. The first big issue is that Nico Raskin has already received a new contract offer. He received it in early 2024.
Sterling
Dujon Sterling famously publicly encouraged him to sign it. He never did. Subsequently, there was that strange story exclusively reported by the Rangers Review, which claimed that in fact, Raskin was already tied down to 2028 and that a further option on his contract had already been signed. This was never confirmed by any other source and we have no reason to believe it is true. We also understand the contract was always until next year, 2027. He signed, of course, in January 2023 for four and a half years. It was a long term contract back then and it expires next summer. This new story is a bit of a strange one. We do not know where it originally stems from, but we do know that there has been a contract offer on the table for Nico Raskin.
The Existing Offer
For at least two years, we are talking back in the days of Philippe Clement here. January 2024, or at least early spring that year, was when it became public knowledge that Raskin had been given a new offer. He has never signed it, and the reason he has never signed it is because long term, Raskin does not view his future at Rangers. We have known that for some considerable time. He loves the club, he loves the supporters, but he is a Belgian international who has a higher ambition than the Scottish Premiership. He always has.
Stepping stone
He infamously called Rangers just a stepping stone to the next stage of his career. At the time this was a very poor comment given his form was so low. It is not exactly spectacularly better these days! Although briefly, under Russell Martin, he became a cult hero due to his fallout with the former Rangers manager. But these days, Nico Raskin has not exactly shone this season overall. He has been what you would call above average.
Last Summer Fallout
A lot of that is to do with what happened last summer. It also became public knowledge back then, as confirmed by his own grandfather, that he had been very disappointed not to get his move out of the club. A last minute transfer had fallen through. This left Raskin very upset, but he knuckled down and got back on with it. Raskin will also only leave Rangers for a top five league. Our sources have confirmed this. England, France, Germany, Spain or Italy are the only leagues Raskin will leave Rangers for. He will not leave for anything less than that. This does show his ambition. He is keen and always has been on Chelsea in the English Premier League. He was pretty public about that ambition as well.
Wage Structure Question
The notion that Rangers hierarchy want to tie him down to a bigger contract is a strange one. We cannot help but feel that this, if the story was even true, is optimism on the part of the club. Raskin’s heart is not at Rangers and it seems like the current relatively decent run that the club is having under Danny Rohl and the 49ers is inspiring optimism among those who run the club that they can persuade Raskin to change his mind.
A good idea?
That is never a good idea. If the story is true, it would probably make him the best paid player at the club. That was Danilo and is now, these days, James Tavernier. Danilo, of course, was on £40K a week, and Tavernier is around about £37K. Jack Butland comes in next at £35K. For Raskin to remain at Rangers and give up on a top five league, Rangers would be looking at smashing the wage structure completely. Now this is not something that financially the club cannot afford.
Resources
The resources are now there in a way they have never been before. But do Rangers really want to be spending anything upwards of £40K a week on a player whose heart has always been on a bigger league than the Scottish Premiership? Rangers offer Nico Raskin is a tough one. He is not playing like a player who looks like he is worth that kind of money. And he is not playing like a player who looks like he is completely committed to Rangers in the long term. He has said the exact opposite himself. It is a very curious story, and we are not quite sure what to make of the reasons behind it. But if the club really does insist on offering a new contract, we hope it’s the right call.