Whilst it’s not been the easiest of starts for Derek McInnes, three wins in the last three games should go a long way towards strengthening his status as Rangers manager.
The former Hearts boss initially started his tenure with two wins in seven games in a run which saw the Gers crash out of Europe in frustrating fashion. Since then, the new manager has been handed a glimmer of hope with three straight victories, albeit in narrow fashion.
Saturday’s 1-0 win over Motherwell was the latest example that McInnes could still turn his tenure around, but there’s still a lot that needs to happen for Ibrox to be fully convinced.
Early transfer rumours long before the January transfer window certainly aren’t helping McInnes’ cause, either. As he attempts to turn a corner, the Rangers boss still faces the prospect of losing some of his star players.
That includes, as is often the case these days, Nicolas Raskin. The midfielder was close to leaving the Scottish giants in the summer transfer window, before a deal collapsed in surprising fashion.
It’s since emerged that it was Rangers who blocked the Belgian’s move to Besiktas, with reports from Turkey suggesting that they did so because of their own failure to bring Vaclav Cerny back to the club. In the end, as the Gers were priced out of a move for the Besiktas star, they decided to keep hold of Raskin.
In an ideal world, that would be that for any saga. At Ibrox, it’s never that simple though. Instead, with the January transfer window around the corner, Rangers are facing another nervous wait.
Besiktas readying January approach to sign Raskin
As per reports in Turkey, Besiktas are already preparing a January move to sign Raskin. The Turkish club are hoping to make up for lost time and revive their deal from the summer. Whether Cerny once again plays a part in any negotiations remains to be seen, however.
As for the price of the deal, Besiktas may have to pay more than £10m if they are to finally sign the midfielder this winter. Whilst it would be a major blow for McInnes to lose such a key player, cashing in for that price could allow the Gers to spend big elsewhere.
If that is the case, though, then it will have to be a player of real quality that arrives. It’s no coincidence that Rangers have won their last two Scottish Premiership games with Raskin playing 180 minutes. His importance should never be overlooked in Glasgow.
“Nico’s been first-class since he came back from the World Cup – he’s been good as gold, he’s trained brilliantly.” – McInnes
McInnes is clearly a fan of the midfielder. Whether he will have a strong say in his future when January arrives alongside an approach from Besiktas remains to be seen, however.
