Nico Raskin’s worst fears could come true after events away from Rangers
Nico Raskin was on the verge of leaving Ibrox in the summer, but ultimately stayed put.
Raskin attracted interest from Crystal Palace and Wolves, but nothing came of the speculation that lasted for months.
Rumours of disagreements between Raskin and Russelll Martin started circling, with Raskin left out of the Old Firm Derby squad.
These issues surrounding Raskin have perhaps contributed to a new development on international duty.
Nico Raskin an unused substitute for Belgium
Belgium remain unbeaten in their World Cup Qualification campaign after dispatching Liechtenstein 6-0.
Youri Tielemans started over Raskin at the base of midfield, with the Rangers star cutting a forlorn figure as manager Rudi Garcia did not bring him on.
Tielemans scored twice in the emphatic win, casting doubt on whether Raskin will play at all in the upcoming game against Kazakhstan.
Raskin has worked his way through every step of Belgium’s youth system, before finally getting his first senior call-up in March.
| Team | Appearances | Goals |
| Belgium | 4 | 0 |
| Belgium U21 | 10 | 2 |
| Belgium U19 | 4 | 1 |
| Belgium U17 | 8 | 0 |
It’s clear that Raskin is in Garcia’s plans for the national team, but now it is up to him to return to Rangers in a professional manner, and replicate the form of last season.
In doing so, Raskin will have a much better chance of becoming a regular starter for his country.
Russell Martin and Nico Raskin must resolve issues in crunch period for Rangers
Martin is under intense scrutiny following Rangers’ abysmal start to the season.
Winless in four games and out of the Champions League, Martin has made life difficult for himself at G51.
His lucrative spending at the end of the transfer window means Martin will be given less time to get things right.
To give him the best chance of avoiding the sack, Martin will need to repair relations with Raskin as soon as he’s back from international duty.
Rangers have a crunch match against Hearts coming up and it is pivotal that Martin leaves Ibrox with three points.
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