Nico Raskin seems to be the name on everybody’s lips right now.
And with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku singing his praises, you can bet the transfer chat around the Rangers midfielder won’t be slowing anytime soon. It’s been an incredible couple of weeks for the little Belgian.
From helping to upset both Jose Mourinho and Brendan Rodgers to winning his first senior caps for the Red Devils, things couldn’t have gone any better. And with his stock soaring, it’s no wonder he’s being tipped for a big summer move.
Of course I understand that’s the last thing the Rangers support will want to hear right now. They’ll see Nico as the man they should be building their team around so it’s no surprise most are terrified of losing him at the end of the season.
But for me, Rangers shouldn’t fear his departure – they should embrace it as a sign that the club is finally getting things right when it comes to their so-called player-trading model. Let’s be honest here, far too many players have been allowed to walk out of Ibrox far too cheaply.
We’ve seen huge talents like Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos depart on free transfers. And while Celtic have been punting players for 10-15million here, there and everywhere, the Rangers board unfortunately only managed to raise just £800k selling FIVE players last summer.
This time, though, they should be confident of making a healthy profit at last which can then be reinvested in the side.
Raskin was superb with his goal and assist at Celtic Park and was just as impressive as he made his first international start during Belgium’s win over Ukraine last week.
Both his bite and rhythm were key as Rudi Garcia’s team overturned their first-leg loss. I’ve no doubt that with their big voices, De Bruyne and Lukaku can help talk up his valuation.
But I think the Rangers support need to be realistic about just how much Raskin will go for this summer. I’ve seen some numbers banded about that frankly I just can’t see happening. Flick through to the Hotline in these pages and you’ll find fans daydreaming about £30m bids.
But I reckon they might have to settle for something closer to the £10m mark. For a player who cost £1.5m when he signed from Standard Liege in 2023, that would still represent a hefty return.
Yes Nico’s still got two more seasons on his Ibrox contract but he’s a defensive midfield player playing in Scotland. Of course the fact he’s now a fully fledged Belgium starter will help but he’s not the type who scores you bundles of goals.
If an English team or one of the clubs from Saudi were to come in for him, then maybe those megabucks bids might materialise. But the reality is that for midfield players to really draw those huge offers, they need to provide a regular goal threat that Nico doesn’t quite possess.
He’s certainly got plenty of other qualities, though. I’m just amazed it took Philippe Clement so long to spot them.
Raskin is flourishing under caretaker gaffer Barry Ferguson but it seemed to take him an age to get his chance when his fellow countryman was in charge.
When it finally came, it seemed Clement had stumbled across the option after it was forced upon him by injuries elsewhere. For me, Nico’s strengths were clear from the day he arrived in Scotland.
I was still at the club at the time and expected him to be like the other Belgian players we’d come across during our Europa League clashes with Liege and Royal Antwerp. Those sides had plenty of guys who were tidy on the ball but I didn’t think they were great out of possession.
But Nico was different. I can remember thinking during his first week at the club how tenacious and energetic he was getting about the pitch as he snapped into tackles. He’s had a couple of injuries that have held him back but I think we’re now seeing that he is adding quality and numbers on the ball to his steely side off it.
He’s not a Barry Ferguson or Gazza-type midfielder, more a Rino Gattuso battler but those kind of ball-winners are every bit as important as your playmakers. His biggest strength is his ability to sense danger and break up attacks and that’s why if he does leave, Rangers must prioritise a ready-made replacement this summer.
That decision can wait for now but one call Rangers do really have to be getting on with is a decision on Vaclav Cerny’s future. They can land the Czech winger for £5.5million but only if they find the funds before the end of May – when his parent club Wolfsburg can offer up his services to a 10-strong list of rival suitors.
For me, it’s a no brainer. Sign him now. Five million quid is certainly no small change but Rangers have paid a hefty price previously for not splashing out on quality wide men. You know what they say, pay cheap pay twice.
With Cerny, Rangers know they will be getting a player who can cope with the pressure levels in Glasgow.
I think back to that incident last September where he threw his hands up in frustration after being jeered by the fans during a match against Hibs.
He learned then that you can’t shush 50,000 people and the only way to get all of the fans on side is by doing the business. And he’s certainly done that since. It’s not been the kind of season anyone at Ibrox will be happy about but you have to ask, how much bleaker would it be without his 17 goals and seven assists?
It looks as though the club’s would-be American owners will have to pony up the dosh if the current Rangers regime is to make the most of their period of exclusivity. But before they plough in some serious cash, they need to make sure Cerny is fully invested in Glasgow.
He said recently he wants to stay but I’d want to make sure he is 100 percent onboard with the project. I’ve seen what happens when players let their commitment slip and it’s can be damaging to a dressing room.
But if Cerny really does want to stay put, then I can’t see it being anything but money well spent.