adminRangers spent much of the summer waiting for the Nico Raskin transfer saga to reach a resolution, but a deal could now be close to happening before January.
Raskin was connected with clubs across England, Italy, Spain and Turkey, including Hull City, Atalanta, Bologna and Real Betis, while Beşiktaş made the strongest late attempt to secure his signature.
The uncertainty had an impact on his involvement.
Raskin was left out of Rangers’ squads, including the European trip to Jablonec and a league fixture against Aberdeen.
Beşiktaş reportedly made several approaches to Rangers, with a loan offer rejected before discussions over a permanent transfer emerged. However, the move fell apart during a frantic final few days.
Raskin has since admitted that the situation was challenging to handle.
He revealed that he found out about a Beşiktaş offer on the morning of a Rangers match and was still weighing up his future while travelling to the stadium.
The Belgian eventually featured, with the timing leaving him little opportunity to properly consider such a significant decision.
“It is a bit of a disappointment,” Raskin told the media.
“Because I was mentally ready to leave.”
“But Rangers remains a good club, where I play my matches.”
The midfielder recognised that he wanted to take the next step in his career and hinted that his performances could open the door to another opportunity in a future transfer window.
That opportunity could now be arriving sooner than Rangers supporters anticipated.
Rangers transfer twist as Beşiktaş ‘reach preliminary agreement’ for Nico Raskin
Fotomaç, citing information from Turkish newspaper Sabah, reports that Beşiktaş have reached a preliminary agreement with Rangers to sign Raskin in January.
The reported transfer fee is around £15 million, with additional bonuses included in the proposed deal.
Beşiktaş are also believed to have persuaded Raskin to make the move, with the report claiming he has agreed to a salary of approximately £4.3 million per year. An initial protocol could reportedly be signed within weeks.
A formal contract would then be finalised once the January transfer window opens.
Belgium teammate Leandro Trossard has reportedly played a key role in the process, with the former Arsenal attacker joining Beşiktaş in the summer and said to have spoken positively to Raskin about Istanbul and the club.
There has been no official confirmation from Rangers, Beşiktaş or the player, meaning the reported agreement should still be treated with caution.
However, Raskin’s own comments suggest that he was willing to take the next step during the summer, with the main obstacle appearing to be the chaotic timing rather than a definite decision to turn down Beşiktaş.
Rangers would face a major decision if the reported offer proves genuine.
Dan Neil and Cammy Devlin arrived during the summer, but Raskin remains one of the standout players in McInnes’ squad. Losing him midway through a title challenge would represent a considerable setback.
A package worth around £15 million would provide valuable funds for January reinforcements, but replacing Raskin’s energy and composure would be difficult.
After several unsuccessful attempts during the summer, Beşiktaş now appear confident they have made a breakthrough.
This time, there is no deadline-day scramble, and if Sabah’s report proves accurate, Raskin’s long-running Rangers departure saga could already be nearing its conclusion.
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