Nicolas Raskin doubtful for Rangers vs Celtic as last-gasp Premier League transfer possible
Rangers take on Celtic on Sunday with a dark cloud over Ibrox.
The pressure on new manager Russell Martin has reached fever pitch after Rangers lost 6-0 in their Champions League playoff against Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Speculation about Martin being sacked by Rangers hasn’t stopped since the whistle blew on that game.
The former Southampton boss needs a result in the Old Firm derby after Rangers’ recent results.
But Nicolas Raskin has been labelled as a doubt for this game following the transfer gossip surrounding the Belgian midfielder.
Nicolas Raskin could miss Old Firm derby to ensure his sale goes through
Raskin has been linked with a move away from Ibrox for most of the summer.
It was believed that Rangers could fetch a significant fee for the midfielder to spend on recruitments in other positions.
The Light Blues won’t have much time to find a replacement during this transfer window, but Rangers boss Martin still appears keen to cash in.
It has been suggested that Martin and Raskin haven’t been getting on, and that could be a major factor behind Rangers pursuing the sale.
They were overpowered in midfield in Brugge, but Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri suggests via X on 30 August that Raskin could still miss the Old Firm derby to ensure he’s fit for a last-minute transfer.
Raskin could be loaned out with mandatory option to buy
Tavolieri suggested that Rangers could be willing to loan out Raskin with a mandatory option to buy.
While that doesn’t seem to be the ideal option for Martin, it outlines just how keen the Rangers boss seems to be get rid of him.
Crystal Palace and Wolves are believed to be the main candidates to take a punt on him.
Raskin is clearly one of Rangers most talented midfielders. He’s also one of the most experienced.
In any normal situation, he would be the ideal candidate to start the Old Firm derby, especially when you consider how poor the midfield was in Brugge.
| Nicolas Raskin Rangers statistics | |
| Signed | January 2023 |
| Appearances | 104 |
| Goals | 6 |
Could this be a case of Martin letting personal matters get in the way of what’s best for the team? Maybe he’s receiving orders from the board to ensure this sale goes though.
Either way, it’s a risky situation considering how much Martin needs a result in a match that matters more than any other to the Rangers fans.
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