Rangers’ Nico Raskin emerges as World Cup breakout star as transfer saga heats up

There’s a well-worn playbook in football: a midfielder toils away in the Scottish Premiership for a couple of seasons, gets a World Cup call-up, and suddenly every club with a checkbook remembers he exists. Nico Raskin is living that script in real time.

The 25-year-old Rangers midfielder has turned Belgium’s 2026 World Cup campaign into his personal audition reel, and the bidding war is already underway. Hull City, fresh off promotion to the Premier League, have reportedly tabled an offer in the £12-14 million range. Rangers, who presumably also have access to a calculator, want closer to £20 million.

A tournament to remember

Raskin’s breakout moment came during Belgium’s emphatic 4-1 demolition of the USA on July 4. That performance propelled Belgium into the quarter-finals and cemented Raskin’s status as one of the competition’s genuine revelations.

Earlier in the group stages, Raskin came off the bench against Egypt and contributed to an equalizing goal.

He’s also carved out a small piece of history in the process, becoming the first Belgian player to represent Rangers at a World Cup.

The transfer tug-of-war

Raskin is under contract at Rangers until 2028, which gives the Glasgow club significant leverage. But leverage only matters if the player wants to stay, and reports suggest Raskin is keen to move on this summer.

The gap between Hull City’s reported bid and Rangers’ valuation is meaningful. A £6-8 million delta isn’t pocket change. It’s the difference between Rangers feeling respected and feeling lowballed.

Hull City’s interest makes strategic sense from their perspective. They’re a newly promoted Premier League side, which means they need players who can handle the pressure of performing at a higher level immediately.

What this means for the market

The £20 million asking price would represent a significant fee by Rangers’ standards. The World Cup is doing half the work for them by showcasing Raskin to a global audience.

For potential buyers, the calculus is straightforward. Raskin is 25, which puts him squarely in his prime years. He has three years left on his contract, meaning there’s no discount for an expiring deal.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.