Derek McInnes has tried to keep the temperature down around Nicolas Raskin, saying the 25-year-old has been “good as gold” and trained brilliantly while Rangers wait to see whether any offer arrives before Thursday’s deadline. Raskin has also been absent from the club’s latest two match-day squads, which only adds to the uncertainty around him.

McInnes's message on Raskin

Speaking to BBC Scotland, McInnes said: “Nico's been first-class since he came back from the World Cup - he's been good as gold, he's trained brilliantly”. He then added: “But, until an offer comes in that the club need to consider, Nico just has to knuckle down and train.”

That is the tone Rangers want here. McInnes also said, “I've no doubts that, if the window closes and Nico's still a Rangers player, he'll give brilliant service as he's done previously,” while adding: “He's getting interest because he's a good player. I want to work with good players. We just need to wait and see how things develop.”

The player profile fits the wait. Raskin signed a four-and-a-half-year contract when he joined Rangers from Standard Liege in January 2023, and he has only 1 Premiership appearance for the club this season. He also logged 6 World Cup appearances, with a 7.13 rating compared with his 6.2 Premiership mark.

Rangers' late-window business

McInnes was also open about the club's wider deadline work. “We're still working hard to get one in at the minute,” he said, before adding: “We're getting closer on that one, but we believe it's only going to be the one in.” He then left room for movement, saying: “There may well be things develop over the next 24-48 hours on that front.”

Rangers have already signed 12 players this summer, and Kevin Kelsy is reportedly close to a move from Portland Timbers. McInnes also said a striker would help offset Youssef Chermiti's long-term injury last month.

The bigger call is still the same one. Rangers are acting like a club that expects one more addition, even if McInnes has left open the possibility of more, and Raskin remains in the frame unless a bid arrives that forces the issue before Thursday.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →