Rangers manager Michael Beale has spent the last few press conferences responding to Ibrox interest in Standard star Nicolas Raskin with it remaining unclear if the player will move this January.
Out of contract in the summer, Rangers have been extensively linked to Belgian U21 midfielder Raskin since the last window with a deal for the player reportedly falling through after a proposed Glen Kamara transfer to OGC Nice collapsed.
After the sacking of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, that interest has continued into the reign of Michael Beale and has intensified over the course of the January window with Nicolas Raskin and Standard falling out over a new deal.
The Rangers boss has been forthcoming with the press regarding his January wishlist and it is not hard to read between the lines and ascertain that Nicolas Raskin is a bonafide Ibrox target.
But the details regarding any potential January switch are decidedly foggy, even if the Rangers manager looked to bite back amid reports of a medical, a four-and-a-half year contract and several rejected bids for the player.
Beale: no Rangers terms with Raskin
Speaking ahead of the clash with St Johnstone, Michael Beale refuted suggestions that Rangers had agreed personal terms with out-of-contract Standard midfielder Nicolas Raskin.
These had emerged in the Belgian press from sources close to the player and Beale was clear that any prospective transfer was not yet at this stage.
“It’s not true that we have signed a pre-contract with anybody,” said Beale [Rangers].
“He (Raskin) is obviously a player we like, there are negotiations going on between the clubs but they are not the only ones we are speaking to.”
Claims of Rangers having agreed personal terms with Raskin were then followed up by reports that Rangers have had two bids rejected for the Standard star.
According to the Herald, the Belgian Pro League side rejected a second Rangers bid for the player heading into the weekend with journalist Chris Jack quoting Belgian reports as saying the offer amounted to €500k (£440k).
Rangers bid reports ‘way out’
Whilst Michael Beale stopped short of denying the bid reports, speaking after 2-0 win over St Johnstone the Rangers manager did suggest that amid claims of a £2m offer for Swansea attacker Morgan Whittaker, the valuations on both deals were back to front.
“What I can say is that all the fees, ‘we’ve offered this, we’ve offered that’, them prices are way out,” said Michael Beale [Rangers].
“Way higher on one and way lower on the other, so I’ll let you surmise amongst yourselves which that is, but it’s nowhere near what you’re thinking.
“The biggest thing is that they’re good players. We don’t want to bring in bad players, we want to bring in good players and the clubs they play for don’t want to let them go.”
So whilst all the chatter continues in the press regarding both Nicolas Raskin and Morgan Whittaker, Rangers appear to be working away in the background.
Michael Beale has already admitted that he has targets across the squad and that if he can’t bring players in this January, then he will in the summer.
But that won’t stop expectant Rangers fans refreshing their news feeds every couple of minutes demanding transfer updates, especially when it comes to Nicolas Raskin.
The Belgian midfielder would be an exciting addition and it’s clear that Rangers are going to keep biting at the cherry until they’re satisfied either way.
“I think there will be a couple of things in the next 48 hours one way or the other,” explains Beale.
“Can I guarantee you sat here that we’ll have new arrivals? No. Are we going to try our best? Definitely.”
Meanwhile, as Rangers look at potential new contracts, the Joe Aribo situation at Southampton can serve as a warning to hesitant players.
