'I absolutely love Rangers': Nico Raskin lifts lid on his Ibrox future and sends impassioned message to fans
Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin has spoken about his Ibrox future while on international duty.
Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin has told supporters a transfer away from Ibrox is ‘out of the question’ as he sent an impassioned message to the club’s fans about his future with the club.
The Belgian international was left out of Rangers' 0-0 draw with Celtic prior to the international break, with his future in Glasgow looking all but over after weeks of speculation about his relationship with head coach Russell Martin. However, transfer deadline day came and went, with the 24-year-old remaining a Rangers player, despite alleged interest from the English Premier League.
After leaving him out of the squad for the Old Firm clash with Rangers eight days ago, head coach Martin denied any breakdown in his relationship with Raskin, saying he had an “honest” relationship with all of his players, before adding: “There’s not a breakdown in any relationships here. If it’s honest and open, there can’t be a breakdown in any relationships. It’s not about me, Nico, or any individual. I just want to talk about the group who were brilliant today [vs Celtic].”
Currently on international duty with Belgium, the Liège-born star was left on the bench for Thursday’s 6-0 win over Liechtenstein, but started and scored as the Red Devils won 6-0 again, beating Kazakhstan in World Cup qualifying on Sunday night to go a point behind North Macedonia at the top of Group J.
Following the game, Raskin opened up on his turbulent few months with the Glasgow giants in the aftermath of the game, insisting that he wants to stay with the Glasgow giants and fight for his place in the coming weeks.
“It's always nice to score, especially in the national team,” he told Voetbalkrant. It's easy to play with Kevin [De Bruyne] and Youri [Tielemans]. They are top players. With them, you can concentrate on your task. They're an aggressive team, we made the match easy, but these are still special matches because the slightest mistake can cost you dearly on a counterattack. With the defenders, we watch the attackers play, but we have to be ready just in case."
“My situation at the club is complicated. I will return, work hard, and try to get playing time again. But it's not just up to me. I know this is an important year, and I absolutely want to be part of this campaign with Belgium. Football is simply a game of ups and downs.
“I absolutely love Rangers. I've had some great moments there and have a strong bond with the fans. I always try to give my all. A transfer? No, that's out of the question. I want to continue to resolve this at the club."
The former Standard Liège midfielder will now return to Glasgow after fulfilling his international commitments, with Rangers due to face Hearts in a mammoth game at Ibrox on Saturday. Without a win in their opening four league games, pressure is ramping up on Martin, though he insists he feels fully supported by chairman Andrew Cavenagh and the Rangers hierarchy.
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