New Rangers boss Danny Rohl is keen to block the transfer of Tottenham target Nico Raskin in January
Tottenham Hotspur are seemingly keen to invest in a central midfielder and that could happen as early as January, with Thomas Frank dealt multiple injury blows since taking over from Ange Postecoglou in the summer.
James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are yet to kick a ball this season, having suffered long-term injuries earlier this year. Archie Gray is also sidelined with a calf issue, while Lucas Bergvall suffered a setback in his recovery from concussion in Sweden camp last week. In addition, the midfield pivot of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur do not offer much creativity, making it difficult for Spurs to unlock teams from central areas of the pitch.
As per recent reports, Tottenham have set their sights on signing Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin. There has been interest in the player from clubs in Italy, Germany and Spain, as the Belgian international continues to attract attention amid his desire for a new challenge away from Rangers.
New Rangers boss not willing to sanction Nico Raskin’s exit
Nico Raskin has been among the standout performers for Rangers since arriving from Standard Liege in January 2023. However, the 24-year-old’s desire to leave Ibrox during the summer transfer window led to tensions, with former boss Russell Martin freezing him from the squad.
This hasn’t stopped speculation surrounding the box-to-box midfielder’s future at Rangers. New boss Danny Rohl has reinstated Raskin into the side, and the player netted a goal in the 3-0 win over Dundee before the November international break. While the Gers are understood to be bracing for offers for their star, there has been a new development following Danny Rohl’s arrival at the club.
According to a Football Insider transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke, Rohl has plans to block Raskin’s exit from the club in the winter transfer window. Despite the growing interest and the player’s wish to seek a new adventure, the new Rangers gaffer does not want to lose him midway through the campaign.
“I think ideally Rangers would like to keep hold of Nicolas Raskin in January,” Pete O’Rourke told the Inside Track podcast.
“I’m sure Danny Rohl would too, he has been key for the new Rangers manager in recent games as they picked up three wins in the Scottish Premiership.
“There was interest in Raskin in the summer window from a number of clubs, Premier League and across Europe as well, so I’m sure there is still interest in the Belgium international.
“Rangers are expecting further interest in Raskin in January and next summer as well, and they’ll just be hoping that his price tag will continue to rise.
“As I said, he’s a key player on that team and Danny Rohl, although he would understand if the club were to cash in on him, he’ll be hoping that he can keep hold of him.”
Tottenham hope to tempt Raskin away from the Glasgow giants
Tottenham are among several vying for the Rangers talent’s signature, and it wouldn’t be surprising if his head gets turned by the growing interest across Europe. If Spurs are to win the race for his services, they’ll need to provide a tempting sporting project that can make the Belgian a part of their long-term vision and strategy.
At 24, the ex-Standard Liege man is still some years away from hitting his prime, so he could prove a smart, long-term investment for any club that signs him in 2026. As Yves Bissouma’s career in N17 is more or less over and Pape Matar Sarr set to head out for the AFCON in mid-December, Raskin could be an exciting option to fill the potential gap created by the latter in Frank’s squad.
All in all, it’ll be interesting to see if Spurs can lure Belgian talent away from Ibrox in January.
