Rangers fans need to enjoy the time that Nico Raskin has left at Ibrox, because I don’t think it will be too long before he gets his big move. There’s been a lot of hype surrounding him on social media recently. It all started when he scored two goals for Belgium’s U21s against Israel (the second goal was later given as an OG). This was in the final friendly before the start of the European U21 Championships.
Considering the Belgium U21 squad is full of players playing in the top five leagues, it’s brilliant for Rangers, and Raskin himself, that he’s highly rated enough to be involved. Playing in tournaments like this, for the most part, will only increase a players stock. He’s highly rated and loved by everyone involved with Rangers but now he gets to showcase his ability on a larger scale.
Another reason Nico Raskin was talked about on social media last week was due to this tweet;
Yeah, I think the graphics and numbers speak for themselves here..
Nico Raskin’s First Six Months
I was sold on Nico Raskin after his thirteen minute debut against Ross County. Myself, among many others, instantly thought ‘wow, this guy has it‘. In those thirteen minutes, these were his numbers;
- 12 Touches
- 86% Pass Accuracy
- 100% Dribble Success (1/1)
- 100% Duels Won (4/4)
- 2 Tackles Won
He just slotted in like he’d been there all season. It was exciting to see a player with such confidence not even looking slightly overawed by the Ibrox atmosphere. Fortunately, he managed to continue that form and ended the season with these numbers in the SPFL;
- 12 Appearances (11 Starts)
- 0G/1A
- 88% Pass Accuracy
- 65% Long Ball Accuracy (1.7 Per Game)
- 92% Dribble Success (0.9 Per Game)
- 1.8 Tackles Per Game
- 52% Duels Won (4.3 Per Game)
He had some time out with a few niggling injuries but despite that, he’s massively impressed in his short spell so far. What he provides the Rangers midfield is tenacity, hunger and quality on the ball. From a Rangers perspective it looks like the only way is upwards with his trajectory and he’s only just turned 22-years-old.
Nico Raskin on His Future
For anyone watching Rangers who understands his profile, it’s obvious to say he won’t be in Scotland long. He wasn’t a signing with the next five or six years in mind. It’s very clear to see that he was brought in to provide quality now and then be sold for a huge profit later. These are the types of deals Rangers need to take advantage of.
The club and Raskin himself clearly agree on this, as was obvious when he done an interview with Belgian publication La Derniere Heure in May. In the aforementioned interview, he discussed his future plans;
My ultimate dream is to play in the Premier League with Chelsea. Playing in Scotland struck me as a good intermediate step.
But Rangers are still a big name in British football. Before they came in for me, I had approaches from Club Brugge and Genk.
But I think it would be a mistake for me to play for another club in Belgium, as Standard will always be the club I love most.
Other clubs were interested in me as well, but Rangers’ interest was the strongest.
Nico Raskin to La Derniere Heure
It’s never a nice thing to hear from a player the fans have taken to so quickly. On the other hand, I do respect the honesty here. Rangers fans know fine well he’s not here for the long haul, so we need to enjoy him while we can.
Conclusion
I’ve been so incredibly impressed by Nico Raskin since he arrived in January. It would be hard to believe that other clubs wouldn’t feel the same. Being a player that is chosen for Belgium at any level is enough to garner attention. Never mind when you factor in his numbers for Rangers this season.
In my eyes, this feels like an extended loan move and one of the biggest rules as a football fan is ‘don’t fall in love with a loan player’. It’s too late for that though, as the diminutive Belgian is already love by the vast majority of the Rangers support.
What are your thoughts on Nico Raskin? How long do you think it’ll be before we start getting those big offers in?