It is time for Rangers to make a pragmatic call on Nico Raskin, and if the money arrives, the decision should already be made.
There has been plenty of debate around the Belgian midfielder’s role, consistency, and long-term fit at Ibrox.
But the reality is increasingly difficult to ignore, Rangers risk repeating old mistakes if they wait too long to act.
Greg Stewart says Rangers should sell Nico Raskin
As former Premiership title-winning Gers forward Greg Stewart put it: “I’d be selling him. If any bids come in for that sort of money, he needs to go.”
The sentiment is rooted in experience the club would do well to remember.
Rangers have been here before, holding on too long, only to lose value entirely with Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent both departing on free transfers after their peaks had already passed.
Raskin is now at a similar crossroads.
With two years left on his deal, the window to maximise his value is narrowing.
If his expected World Cup involvement with Belgium delivers strong performances, the market interest will only intensify, and potentially inflate his price to a level Rangers cannot afford to ignore.
The tactical misfit
Yet the deeper issue is not just financial timing but footballing fit.
Raskin has blown hot and cold since arriving in Glasgow, with his best moments arriving when used dynamically rather than as a fixed anchor.
The problem is that his preferred interpretation of the No.6 role, sitting deep and dictating play, does not align cleanly with Danny Rohl’s tactical demands, nor does his passing range consistently justify that function at the level required by a Rangers sitter.
As Stewart noted: “I don’t see Raskin as a player that can break lines.
“He can get about the pitch and get into the box with late runs.”
That is where his strongest impact has been felt, not as a deep-lying controller, but as an energetic No.8 operating beyond the first line of pressure.
It was evident in last season’s 3-2 win at Celtic Park, where his advanced running caused problems, and again in the recent 6-3 win at Falkirk, where he scored during the comeback from 2-0 down to make it 3-2.
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Those are moments that define the positive aspects of his Ibrox spell.
But they also underline the inconsistency of his broader influence across a full season.
And that is the crux of the argument.
Rangers have not seen enough sustained output, nor a clear tactical identity for him, to justify resisting significant offers.
This season is already set to end without silverware, and with expectations once again unmet, sentiment cannot dictate recruitment decisions.
If a strong bid arrives following the World Cup, Rangers must resist the temptation to overthink it.
The lesson from Morelos and Kent is simple, value peaks, then disappears.
Rangers cannot fall victim to the same fault.
Especially if they do not earn a place in the Champions’ League qualifiers, which a defeat to Celtic on Sunday would confirm.
