The Ibrox midfielder caught the eye for Belgium - and his star power is rapidly rising
20:07, 24 Mar 2025Updated 20:11, 24 Mar 2025
Rangers' Nicolas Raskin
Rangers' Nicolas Raskin(Image: PA)
His star is rapidly rising after a standing ovation on his first start for Belgium -and Nicolas Raskin looks to now be inching closer a dream next step.
The Rangers star arrived at Ibrox from from Standard Liege in January 2023 - and just months later admitted he saw the Scottish Premiership club as "a good intermediate step."
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He set his sights on the Premier League - and now looks to be rapidly approaching the type of form that could see Raskin fulfil his own prophecy.
At the time he had his eyes set on Stamford Bridge, stating: "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."
And while it appeared to be a bold prediction at the time, the 24-year-old is now fulfilling his potential.
He has emerged as a key man for Barry Ferguson at the heart of the Rangers' midfield engine room - playing a key role as the Light Blues reached the Europa League quarter-final by seeing off Fenerbahce, and the derby day triumph over Celtic before the international break.
That form would earn him his first senior Belgium call-up - and he would receive a standing ovation on his first start for Belgium after producing a man-of-the-match display to inspire his country to a sensational Nations League turnaround against Ukraine.
The nation is now raving about Raskin - with former Belgian international Nordin Jbari telling Complètement Foot: "Nicolas Raskin was fantastic for his debut.
"If there's one player who scored points today in the eyes of Rudi Garcia and his staff, it was him.
"He showed a lot of maturity, staying in the centre, in his role of protecting the defence, while the De Bruyne-Vanaken duo played higher up.
Nicolas Raskin
"We saw a real number 6, and that's very important to give freedom to the other two midfielders. Nicolas Raskin has the ability to play forward and build the game. I can't see how Rudi Garcia could do without him in the next match."
And pundit Tam McManus reckons that Rangers could finally see their long-awaited player-trading model burst into life with Raskin heading out the door.
CEO Patrick Stewart has expressed his desire to implement the transfer philosophy at Ibrox - and with Raskin currently on a deal which runs until the summer of 2027 the former Hibs striker reckons talks over an extension could take place at the end of the campaign.
McManus told PLZ: "I am sure it was the situation with Nico Raskin; come in here, do well here, play in the Champions League and the next move for you might be the English Premier League.
"Rangers haven't been good at selling players at the prime time. If Nico Raskin has any ambition he will move to the English Premier League, for me, if he continues the form he is in and getting man of the match at Belgium.
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"Come the summer, I think Rangers will be looking to get him tied down on a new deal. If not and he sees his future elsewhere it's the perfect time to sell him."