NafisaRangers finally gave their supporters something to celebrate on Sunday as Derek McInnes’ side ground out a crucial 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Lawrence Shankland’s second-half penalty was enough to settle a fiercely contested encounter and hand Rangers their first Scottish Premiership win of the season.
It was a particularly important result for McInnes after the nightmare of the previous week.
Rangers had been dumped out of Europe by Jablonec on penalties, ending their continental campaign before the end of August and leaving the manager facing immediate questions over his side’s form and consistency.
The victory at Aberdeen therefore came at exactly the right time.
But while the three points provided some relief, there was another major Rangers storyline developing behind the scenes — and it concerns one of the club’s most important midfielders.
With the Scottish transfer window now moving towards its final stages, supporters may soon have to prepare themselves for a significant departure.
McInnes drops major hint over Rangers midfielder
Nicolas Raskin has been linked with an exit from Ibrox throughout the summer, with clubs including Hull City, Atalanta, Bologna and Besiktas previously credited with an interest in the Belgian.
Yet despite all the speculation, there had been no concrete development suggesting that a deal was immediately close.
That situation could now be changing.
Raskin has been left out of Rangers’ last three matches, including both Conference League meetings with Jablonec and Sunday’s victory over Aberdeen.
McInnes was therefore inevitably asked about the midfielder’s situation following the win at Pittodrie.
And while the Rangers boss confirmed there had been no offer yet, his choice of words suggested the situation could become considerably more interesting before the deadline.
“Certainly, there have not been any offers for Nico, if that’s the next question.
“Obviously it’s normally the last couple of days of the window when things really crank up, so we need to be primed for that.”
That final sentence is what will have caught the attention of Rangers supporters.
The manager is clearly preparing for the possibility that interest in Raskin could intensify during the closing days of the window.
With Scottish clubs having until 5pm on September 3 to complete their transfer business, Rangers now face a race against time if serious offers arrive.
Rangers could lose an important player
The potential departure would be a significant one for McInnes.
Raskin enjoyed an impressive individual campaign last season, registering six goals and seven assists in 33 Scottish Premiership appearances.
His numbers underline just how much he contributes beyond simply recycling possession in midfield.
According to FotMob data, the Belgian averaged 1.62 shots and created 1.45 chances per 90 minutes last season, while also recording 2.84 touches in the opposition box.
His passing statistics were similarly solid, with an 85.8 per cent completion rate and 2.68 accurate long balls per 90 minutes.
Raskin also offered plenty defensively.
He averaged 2.71 tackles, 4.85 recoveries and two clearances per game, while winning 54.7 per cent of his ground duels and 53.2 per cent of his aerial contests.
That combination makes him difficult to replace.
And that is perhaps why the coming days could become so important for Rangers.
McInnes has already acknowledged that the final days of the transfer window are when things can suddenly accelerate.
If one of the clubs monitoring Raskin finally decides to make a serious offer, Rangers could quickly find themselves facing a difficult decision over whether to keep the Belgian or cash in.
For now, Raskin remains a Rangers player.
But McInnes’ warning that the final days are when things “really crank up” suggests supporters should not assume the midfielder’s future at Ibrox is settled.
And with the deadline rapidly approaching, this could be one Rangers transfer saga that finally explodes into life.
Nafisa
