With the first international break of the season well underway there is very little news coming out of Ibrox just now. The players not involved with their national teams returned to the Rangers training centre today after an extended weekend off, giving under fire head coach Russell Martin a chance to work on the gameplan ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.
Numerous Gers stars went out for international duty this past week, Bojan Miovski with North Macedonia, Oliver Antman with Finland and Findlay Curtis with the Scottish youth setup to name a few.
But the star name away this week has been Nicolas Raskin, the tenacious midfielder has been with the Belgian national team for their pair of FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan.
The Red Devils won both fixtures 6-0, Raskin did not play against Lichtenstein but earned his fifth international cap against the Kazakhs, where he started, played 71 minutes in the middle of the park with superstars Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans and scored his first international goal.
After being left out of Rangers final pre-break fixture, a 0-0 home draw with Old Firm rivals Celtic, it looked as if he could be set for a deadline day exit from Govan, with English Premier League sides, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace and Manchester United all linked with the tough tackler after a fallout with Martin.
However, the number 43 opted to stay at Ibrox, with he and Martin set for talks to rebuild their relationship upon his return later this week and his prominence for his country shows just how vital positive talks could be.
Martin has signed Joe Rothwell, a former player of his at Southampton, from Bournemouth this summer, with the Englishman competing directly with Raskin for a place in the Light Blues midfield but has not impressed the support as of yet.
With fitness and form clearly an issue for Rothwell, Raskin’s return to the starting lineup is of paramount importance. The 2024/25 Men's Players' Player of the Year, voted for by the men's first-team squad at the club, needs to be in the squad. His pressing ability and work rate is vital to get us to where we need to be and to get us back to winning games after four consecutive league draws at the start of the SPFL Premiership season.
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Raskin’s inclusion for his nation underlines the gulf in class between him and much of the current Rangers midfield. To not only share the pitch with De Bruyne and Tielemans but to thrive alongside them, capping it off with a goal, is a reminder of the level he operates at when trusted.
For a Rangers side badly in need of energy, balance and conviction in the middle, that kind of pedigree cannot be left sitting in the stands or at home.
Martin’s new-look side have been crying out for tempo and bite. The opening four draws of the campaign have exposed a flatness in transition and a lack of aggression without the ball. These are precisely the areas Raskin excels in.
His pressing from midfield not only disrupts opposition rhythm but sets the platform for Rangers to impose themselves, something that has been sorely absent.
The danger for Martin is clear: if he continues to overlook a player of Raskin’s influence, the rift could quickly become unmanageable.
Supporters are already restless, and the Belgian’s situation has been watched closely by Premier League clubs with far deeper pockets. A fresh start between the pair feels not just preferable, but essential.
With no new contract on the table, and less than two years remaining on his current deal, Rangers know an impressive World Cup next summer could see his value skyrocket. But with a year left the finances would not be at the maximum. We need to get him back in the team, mend the rift with Martin, for both their benefits and sakes, and get a new deal signed with the view of a lucrative exit next summer, which would suit both sides.
For now, the upcoming fixtures against the likes of Hearts and Hibernian, will test Martin’s mettle, and whether he is pragmatic enough to build around his best midfielder rather than let ego dictate selection.
If Rangers are to kickstart their season, Raskin must be central to it.