Rangers Manager Derek McInnes Open to Nico Raskin Contract Extension

Rangers manager Derek McInnes has not ruled out the possibility of Nico Raskin signing a new contract with the club. Raskin, a Belgian international midfielder, was widely anticipated to leave Ibrox during the summer transfer window after his performances for his country at the World Cup finals.

McInnes admitted he was among those who expected Raskin to be sold and acknowledged the frustration of leaving the player out of the squad on several occasions earlier in the season amid intensifying transfer speculation. However, with no suitable offer materializing before the transfer window closed, the 25-year-old has become an integral part of McInnes’s lineup. Rangers have secured seven wins and one draw in their last eight domestic fixtures.

Raskin's current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2028. Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh has indicated that the club has no intention of selling any key players during the January transfer window.

McInnes expressed optimism about working with Raskin for a longer duration than initially foreseen. "I normally leave those sort of contract discussions between the club and the player and the agent," McInnes stated. "But if there was an opportunity to work with Nico beyond that, then obviously it’s something that I would not be against. I’m enjoying working with him but, equally, I understand players may well have other aspirations."

He added that Raskin had indicated he had options to leave during the transfer window but is now committed to being at Rangers and contributing to a successful team. "Unless something comes up that really turns his head and really turns Rangers’ head, then we keep working together," McInnes said. "How long that remains, whether it’s to the end of the season or whether it’s beyond that, too many things can happen."

McInnes reflected on the initial assumption that Raskin would depart upon his arrival, stating, "I’m kind of thinking, 'Here’s what you could have had', that sort of thing. But I’m glad he’s here, to be honest. And I think that he, like a few others since the window closed, there’s just that clarity of the situation and he just focuses on training, performing and improving."

The manager emphasized the importance of retaining key players, especially in January. "The ideal time for any club is to do business in the summer. January’s not a window you want to be losing key players, but you have seen in January, over the years at various clubs, clubs can bid above and beyond maybe what a player’s value is. For us, Nico’s such a key player. I think the fact that I’ve played him every game he’s available would suggest that."

McInnes highlighted Raskin's contributions, noting, "He brings his experience, even though he’s still relatively young in his career. He’s still got a lot of steps ahead of him. There’s nothing wrong with ambition. I think Nico gets a good profile from the national team, his profile from the World Cup. Nico’s been a key player for us and hopefully he’s a key player in a successful Rangers team this season."

Rangers are preparing to face St Johnstone, a club where McInnes began his managerial career in 2007. He noted that he still draws on fundamental principles established during his time at McDiarmid Park. "I still look at my notes I kept from stuff that I wanted to do back then, a lot of fundamentals as a manager," he said. "I still work strongly towards that, those kinds of core values, what my team needs to look like, what my training needs to look like."

Reflecting on his early managerial experiences, McInnes stated, "I enjoyed my time at St Johnstone. They gave me an opportunity. We won promotion in my first full season as manager and they were so good to me. I had a brilliant grounding so I’ve got a lot to thank them for. But I don’t think there’s too many differences with how I work now and how the approach is."

He concluded by emphasizing the dedication required for management: "As you get older as a manager, the big thing is you’ve got to want to do it. If it’s hard work getting your head off the pillow in the morning and getting yourself into work, then it’s probably not for you. I would say that to any young manager or any older manager. It’s like you’ve got to really want to do it. I really wanted to do it back then and I still really want to do it now."