Wolves could enter a bidding war with local rivals Aston Villa for an in-demand Glasgow Rangers midfielder.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly preparing an offer to sign Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin but face competition from a host of other interested clubs, including local rivals Aston Villa.
Preparing for the likely summer departure of Tommy Doyle, Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira is eager to bring in a new deep-lying playmaker and Raskin is seemingly high up on the list. The four-time Belgium international has just enjoyed a proper breakthrough season in the Scottish Premiership after playing a bit-part role in his first 18 months in Glasgow.
Raskin, signed from Standard Liege for just £1.3 million in 2023, has racked up 93 appearances for Rangers to date. The 24-year-old has predominantly played as a central midfielder or a defensive midfielder. More recently, Rankin has been heavily involved in Rangers’ scoring output, with three goals and four assists contributed in his last five appearances.
Vitor Pereira eyes £25m Rangers midfielder
Wolves have been keeping close tabs on Raskin’s progress and are now readying a bid, reports the Daily Record. It’s claimed Wanderers have been watching Raskin for the past 18 months and the player’s advisers have been aware of the interest from the very beginning.
Raskin’s name is said to remain high up on Wolves’ list of midfield transfer targets despite a recent overhaul of the Molineux hierarchy, with sporting director Matt Hobbs replaced by Dominico Teti. Hobbs was the one to originally shortlist Raskin but Teti is said to agree with his predecessor’s assessment, with a bid now looking likely.
Several asking prices have been touted by a host of publications, so it’s unclear how much Rangers will need to be offered to sell Raskin. A recent report from Football Insider suggests £25 million will be enough, though there’s no certainty on that figure, especially with many clubs likely to make approaches.
Aston Villa could spoil Wolves party
Wanderers’ possible approach for Raskin could be hijacked by their local rivals as Villa are reportedly interested in the midfielder. A report last month suggested the Villans and the newly-promoted Leeds United had both emerged as strong contenders to sign Raskin following scouting missions.
Impressive performances in the Europa League against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, OGC Nice and Fenerbahce really grabbed the attention of Villa scouts, it was claimed. Birmingham World understands Emery does indeed want to sign a new central midfielder but other positions - including goalkeeper, left winger and centre-back - are being prioritised instead.
Nonetheless, Villa could spoil Wolves’ party if they were to turn their attention back to Raskin. It may take selling a current midfield option to raise funds and make space for the Belgian but that’s not completely beyond the realms of possibility. Although Villa are unable to splash the cash before they sort out their financial situation, they could theoretically rear their heads once the June 30 PSR deadline has passed.
Wolves will need to be wary of that, as well as interest from other clubs. Getting business done quickly is beneficial anyway as it means new signings can bed in during pre-season, but it’s a particularly advisable approach when a target is so highly sought after.
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