Nils Koppen breaks silence on ‘warrior’ Nico Raskin amid Rangers transfer talk
Nils Koppen is not surprised that Nicolas Raskin is viewed as the best midfielder in Scotland, particularly among the Rangers fans.
Rangers have not been in action since their win against Celtic on 16 March and won’t be until Saturday (29 March), but Raskin has become a major topic of discussion after making his full debut for Belgium.
The 24-year-old started for the Red Devils for the first time in their 3-0 victory over Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday (23 March) and received plaudits from fans and pundits in Belgium.
However, this has also led to talk in Scotland about clubs in Europe potentially wanting to poach the midfielder from Rangers.
Koppen lauds Raskin after Belgium full debut
Rumours of Raskin leaving Ibrox in the upcoming transfer windows are rife, with the Gers poised to make a hefty profit on the £2million they paid for his signature in January 2023.
It would certainly not be a surprise as Koppen is aware that the Belgium international is regarded as the best midfielder in Scotland.
The Rangers technical director and director of recruitment is a huge fan of the former Standard Liege himself, lauding him for his “big warrior’s heart”.
“With his big warrior’s heart, he has made himself enormously popular with our fan base”, Koppen told Het Belang van Limburg (24 March).
“After his strong performances in the Old Firm against Celtic and in Europe against Manchester United, Tottenham and Fenerbahce, he is seen by our supporters as the best midfielder in Scotland.”
| Minutes | Accurate Passes | Chances Created | Touches | Passes Into Final Third | Defensive Actions | Duels Won |
| 89′ | 75/82 (91%) | 1 | 91 | 18 | 7 | 5/9 |
Koppen did not open up on Raskin’s future in Glasgow, but added that the player has now established himself as a regular in the Belgium squad.
“He’s a permanent fixture as a Red Devil”, he said.
Raskin to be first sale under new Rangers ownership
At this rate, it is hard to see Raskin being at Ibrox beyond this season as he is increasingly likely to be poached by a team in Europe’s top five leagues this summer.
Rangers will not be too upset about it either as he is primed to command a significant transfer fee as they look to solidify their player trading system.
The Light Blues have struggled to sell players for significant fees in recent years, with the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent departing on free transfers.
They will look to rectify that by cashing in on Raskin at the right time.
That is why he is likely to be Rangers’ first big sale under the ownership of the consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe.