Ronny Deila opens Rangers transfer door for Nicolas Raskin as Standard Liege kickstart succession planning

The former Celtic gaffer fell out the wantaway 21-year-old after he refused to sign a new deal at the Belgian outfit.

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Standard Liege boss Ronny Deila admits the club have already started planning for life without Rangers linked Nicolas Raskin.

The former Celtic gaffer has dropped the 21-year-old to the B team after he refused to sign a new deal at the Belgian outfit. Reports in Belgium have named Rangers among the interested parties with the club heavily linked with a swoop for the midfield during the summer window. Michael Beale faces the prospect of losing a number of senior players in the summer when their contracts expire, including Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Jack and Ryan Kent.

Raskin is just one name on the radar for the new manager and sporting director Ross Wilson in Govan and it could be a step closer to becoming reality after Deila hinted the Belgian could leave the club sooner rather than later. Rangers will face stiff competition for the enforcer with Club Brugge also thought to be keen on him.

Speaking to RTBF, Deila said of Raskin and Selim Amallah: "If Nico and Selim leave, we will be able to recruit a little. But there is also a deficit to absorb.

"You have to find a good balance between young players, others at their prime, and older ones. Too many young people, I don't like that either, but you also have to train young players to be able to sell them later and get some money back. It's a problem with Nicolas Raskin and Selim Amallah, the club helped make them better and they could end up leaving for free I don't find that very fair."

Rangers could secure Raskin on a free pre-contract agreement during the January transfer window. He could eventually join the Gers ahead of the new season.

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