Rangers and Besiktas Reach Agreement for Nicolas Raskin Transfer

Rangers are braced for a significant midfield departure, with Nicolas Raskin edging towards the exit door after a verbal agreement was reached with Besiktas, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Turkish club have an agreement in principle with Rangers for the Belgium international, with the move now hinging on the player’s decision. Talks are ongoing as all sides try to thrash out a final outcome before the Turkish window shuts on Friday.

For Rangers, the timing is awkward. Derek McInnes’ side are already chasing in the Scottish Premiership, with only four points taken from a possible nine in the opening weeks. The club have until 5pm on Thursday to strengthen a squad that still has to prove it can overhaul Celtic and fend off the rest of the pack.

Yet while most of Europe’s major leagues saw their windows close on Tuesday night, the Turkish market remains open. That leaves Rangers vulnerable to late moves for key assets, and Raskin is now at the centre of that late-summer scramble.

A Relationship Running Its Course

Raskin arrived at Ibrox in the January 2023 window and quickly carved out a place in the side, delivering big performances and moments that endeared him to the home support. He featured 50 times in all competitions last season, a central figure in the heart of the Light Blues’ midfield.

This season tells a different story. The 25-year-old has been left out of the squad for two of Rangers’ three league fixtures, a clear sign of the uncertainty swirling around his future and the pressure on the club to resolve it.

The expectation around Ibrox was that Raskin would move on this summer after impressing on the biggest stage with Belgium at the World Cup. That anticipated rush of offers never truly materialised before most European windows closed, leaving his situation in limbo.

Now Besiktas have stepped forward. Whether Istanbul is the right next step for him will be decided in the coming hours, but the sense grows that both player and club are ready to turn the page.

McInnes’ Stance and the Midfield Puzzle

Through it all, Derek McInnes has been at pains to highlight Raskin’s professionalism.

“Nico's been first-class since he came back from the World Cup – he's been good as gold, he's trained brilliantly,” the Rangers boss said recently, acknowledging the noise around the midfielder’s future and the conversations with “prospective buyers”.

His message has been consistent: until an offer lands that Rangers must seriously consider, Raskin is expected to train, stay focused and be ready. McInnes has also been clear that if the window closes and Raskin is still a Rangers player, he expects the same “brilliant service” the Belgian has already provided.

That loyalty might not be tested for much longer.

If Raskin does complete his move to Besiktas, McInnes and the Rangers board face an immediate question. Do they go back into the market again, or trust what they have?

Rangers have already been busy in the middle of the park, with Cammy Devlin, Dan Neil and Vanja Dragojevic all arriving this summer. On paper, that gives McInnes options. In reality, losing a player of Raskin’s influence so late in the window changes the feel of the midfield and the balance of the squad.

Rangers are trying to claw back ground in the title race while managing one of their most delicate transfer calls of the summer. If Raskin chooses Istanbul, the club’s response in the next 48 hours will say plenty about how serious they are about wrestling the Premiership back from Celtic this season.