Nicolas Raskin decision confirmed as Rangers expect formal bid

Nicolas Raskin is expected to reclaim his starting spot this weekend, but his long-term future is unlikely to lie at Rangers, according to a report.

It has been a tumultuous start to the season at Ibrox as new head coach Russell Martin is already fighting an uphill battle to keep his job. The situation hasn’t been helped by his decision to freeze out key performer Raskin after the Belgian expressed a desire to leave the club.

The 24-year-old was forced to sit out Rangers’ previous two crucial Premiership clashes against Celtic and Hearts. The Gers have yet to win a game in the league, and the Raskin distraction hasn’t helped.

However, Raskin is expected to come back into the team when Rangers take on Hibs on Saturday evening after reconciling with Martin, who needs a victory to buy himself some time.

The 39-year-old still retains the backing of the club hierarchy, who are wary of making another ‘reactive’ managerial decision. However, Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell made no secret of the fact that they are succession-planning during a meeting with the Fan Advisory Board on Wednesday.

Raskin to leave in January?

Raskin is determined to show that his head hasn’t been turned by the Premier League attention he received in the summer after Martin insisted that commitment is ‘non-negotiable.’

However, this is unlikely to change the midfielder’s long-term future. Summer suitors Crystal Palace and Wolves are still monitoring his situation, according to TEAMtalk.

A January departure from Rangers can’t be ruled out at this stage, especially if an offer were to come in that matches the Ibrox club’s €23 million (£20m) valuation.

In fact, the report claims that ‘whispers of formal bids grow louder,’ so there is clearly an expectation that someone will make a move for Raskin in the winter.

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