Derek McInnes was prepared to lose Nicolas Raskin in the summer, but the Belgian ended up staying put at Ibrox.

The Belgium international’s stock was at an all-time high following the World Cup, and was even left out of matchday squads to avoid a risk of injury that would prevent a transfer away from Ibrox.

Rangers leave door open for Nicolas Raskin exit

Even when McInnes realised that Raskin was not leaving in the summer, his comments to the media acknowledged that an exit was likely sooner rather than later. One thing that was made clear was that the 25-year-old would not be allowed to leave for a low price.

Even in the summer, the ownership needed to pull rank on the board in order to prevent his loan exit to Benfica in the final days of the transfer window. That was an acknowledgement that he is viewed as one of their biggest assets, and they want to profit handsomely should he leave the club.

In the days leading to the transfer deadline, McInnes revealed that the Gers were open to offers, but none had arrived. Obviously, things did change, but it shows that nobody is standing in Raskin’s way, and there seems to be an agreement in place with the decision makers.

The Rangers boss said: “Certainly, there have not been any offers for Nico, if that’s the next question.

“Obviously it’s normally the last couple of days of the window when things really crank up, so we need to be primed for that.”

The 55-year-old has also praised his attitude and has waxed lyrical over his training methods. Discussions about him leaving were also held, and despite a move not materialising, he has returned and been exceptional for the game.

McInnes said: “Nico has been first class, I’ve said that on record. Since he’s come back from the World Cup, he’s been good as gold, trained brilliantly and with a lot of motivation. There has been a lot of chat with potential interest and a lot of conversations have been had with the club and with prospective buyers.”

Interest remains in Raskin from clubs in multiple leagues

Rangers News understands that Raskin remains on the radar of clubs in a number of European leagues, including the Premier League. However, few sides prefer shelling out big money in January, so it remains to be seen if anything is realistic. As things stand, the Gers have not received approaches for him, but the midfielder’s representatives could be having initial talks if he is angling for an exit.

McInnes knows that there’s not much to do, and would be happy if Raskin commits his future to the club and signs a new deal. His current contract runs out at the end of next season, so if he doesn’t want to pen an extension, he is expected to leave in 2027, either in January or the summer.