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Rangers have bid in the “high six figures” for Nicolas Raskin as they look to tie up another January transfer but will need to up their offer, the Daily Record reports.
The Light Blues are looking to add the Belgian midfielder as their second signing of the window but their opening offer has been rejected.
Standard reportedly want to get a similar amount for Raskin as they are apparently in line for when they sell Selim Amallah to Real Valladolid this week, £1.75million.
But while “Ibrox insiders” have reportedly rejected claims that the 21-year-old has already completed a medical ahead of a pre-contract for a summer Glasgow move they are in position to solve Raskin’s conundrum in Belgium after having “finally made their move” as the two clubs remain “in dialogue”.
The Record report says: “Raskin has been dumped from Standard’s first team – managed by former Celtic boss Ronny Deila – following a bust-up over his refusal to discuss an extension to that deal.
“But Rangers now look set to offer a solution to that row after making an opening bid Belgian source claim is worth high six-figures.
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“However, the Glasgow outfit will need to come up with a substantially better offer if they are to get their man before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.”
Compromise
Standard playing hard ball for a player who is out of contract in the summer and has already been bombed out of the squad by the manager is a bold strategy.
It is no surprise that they want to extract maximum value from this deal, just as it isn’t a surprise that Rangers want to get him for a cut price.
But as the deadline approaches the two sides will both have an incentive to meet in the middle so a slightly improved offer seems likely to be enough.
While Michael Beale would prefer to get his targets through the door as soon as possible to get them involved in training sessions, he showed with Todd Cantwell that he was content to wait for the club to get the deal done.
It would make little sense to be forced into overpaying in January when Raskin can be signed for free in the summer, but it would also be self-defeating for the Belgian side to insist on holding onto the player for six months while having to pay him not to play.
Logically this deal gets done by 31 January and Beale gets his man, but logic isn’t always in plentiful supply in football so fans will be watching closely as the final days count down.
In other Rangers news, Fabrizio Romano has reported the club are going to make another attempt to sign an additional player this month who already wants to come.