Maybe Russell Martin was right about Nicolas Raskin all along … it’s certainly high time Rangers took the money and moved him on, writes CALUM CROWE

During a brief and bewildering spell in charge of Rangers, Russell Martin didn’t really get much right.

Apart from one thing. There are still too many players in the Ibrox squad with an incredibly inflated opinion of themselves.

After a 1-1 draw at Motherwell on the opening day of the season, Martin stated that some of them needed ‘to drop their egos’.

Given that Nico Raskin soon found himself in exile, it became clear that he was one of those to whom Martin was referring.

The Belgian had a bitter stand-off with the manager. With Martin failing to get results, it was no surprise when fans sided with the midfielder.

With the Englishman long gone, what has Raskin actually delivered this season? In the 2-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle last Sunday, he was posted MIA.

Rangers would do well to sell the Belgian midfielder during the January transfer window

Danny Rohl needs money for a rebuild and selling Nicolas Raskin would be the perfect start

Likewise Mohamed Diomande. These are two of Rangers’ most experienced players. Seasoned internationals. But their influence was non-existent – and that’s a criticism that could be levelled at the pair all too often in big games.

Hearts’ Cammy Devlin was head and shoulders above everyone, running the game in midfield and getting the better of Raskin.

Given that Rangers spent close to £30million in the summer, money is expected to be fairly tight in the January transfer window. Selling Raskin or Diomande – or both – would be a smart way of raising some cash.

Eventually there comes a time to cash in and move on. A time when the romantic notion of what certain players might become has to be weighed against the harsh reality of what they are delivering right now.

Some Rangers fans will still have you believe Raskin is the best midfielder in the country on his day. How many of those days have we seen this season?

His contract runs until 2028, so Rangers could still expect to get decent money for a guy who’s now a regular with Belgium.

Raskin, for all his undoubted ability, has not consistently met the standard that is required at Ibrox. The club should be ruthless and take the money.

They have nothing left to play for this season. Europe is gone. They are all but out of the title race. They should do whatever they can to kick-start Danny Rohl’s rebuild in January.

In the case of Nico Raskin, it’s hard not to feel like Russell Martin was right all along.