As is now widely understood, several clubs are indeed 100% interested in signing Nico Raskin this summer. The Belgian international will get his move, as long as the club that wins the bidding meets the target set by Rangers, around £25M. Raskin has stood out for Belgium enough during this World Cup to gain that interest. Real Betis are the front runners at this moment, with two Italian clubs most certainly in the hunt as well.
Bidding war has begun
Hull City, of course, naturally had a £14M bid thrown out, but that started the bidding war. Now the price is known and will rise for as long as it takes to get the numbers that Rangers seek. The other Italians are said to be Atalanta, while another Serie A side is unclear at this point. Some tenuous claims of Bologna seem based on Rangers’ interest in Lewis Ferguson.
Raskin wants his move
Raskin has been pretty clear that he wants his move. While not quite as explicit as Japan’s Daizen Maeda, he has nevertheless been fairly clear about it. That it is time for him to get the move that he believes he is ready for. Rangers are quite ready to sell, but only on our terms.
Rangers hold the cards
It has, as we said, been corroborated by all sources that there are several clubs who 100% want Raskin this summer. They are prepared to pay for his signature, so that signing will happen. Rangers now have to wait to see what bids tangibly come in that meet the club’s valuation.
World Cup showcase paid off
There are, of course, the notions of sweeteners and add ons in case a club does not want to pay the full £25M. However, Raskin’s prominence and cameos as a substitute at the World Cup, while also starting a match, have definitely raised his profile enough to secure the numbers that Rangers want. He got the showcase that he wanted, and the clubs are now interested in making the move. Time will tell who wins the war, but one thing is for sure. Raskin will almost certainly not be a Rangers player next season.