Glasgow Rangers have been handed a potential boost in their bid to bring Nicolas Raskin to Ibrox ahead of the January transfer window.
What's the talk?
That's according to Dean Jones, with the transfer insider revealing in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that, following Ronny Deila's reported banishment of the central midfielder from Standard Liege first-team training, the 21-year-old could now be back on the Light Blues' radar ahead of the winter market.
Regarding Gers' interest in the £5m talent, Jones said:
"It's interesting how he has been pushed to one side at the moment. That certainly seems to have put him back in the shop window for Rangers."
Kroos 2.0
Considering just how exciting a prospect Raskin undoubtedly is, the argument that Ross Wilson simply must do everything in his power to seal a deal for the midfielder in January is an extremely easy one to make.
Indeed, over his 16 Jupiler Pro League appearances in the current campaign, the £6.2m-rated talent has been in sensational form in the final third, having already provided four assists and created four big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 1.1 key passes, playing 2.8 long balls and completing 39.7 total passes - at a success rate of 84% - per game.
The 21-year-old has also caught the eye in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 3.3 tackles - the most of any player in the division - 0.4 interceptions, 0.2 clearances and winning 5.8 duels - at a success rate of 58% - per match.
These returns have seen the Belgium U21 international - who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig compared to Toni Kroos - average an eye-catching Sofascore match rating of 7.01, ranking him as Standard's sixth-best performer in the Belgian top-flight so far this season.
Furthermore, speaking about Raskin ahead of Rangers' Europa League group stage meeting with Standard Liege back in 2019, Het Belang van Limburg journalist Bob Faesen singled the youngster out for praise in an interview with The Herald, stating:
"He is still only 19, but he has really shone. He is a box-to-box midfielder. He can play in every position in the middle of the park. He is technically gifted, but he is also a bit of a pitbull. He can run a lot, is powerful and has a good shot. He has been one of the big surprises in Belgium football this season and will be a key player for Liege who Rangers will need to be wary of."
As such, with Raskin looking to be a player who is incredibly creative in possession of the ball, as well as one who is more than capable of doing the dirty work for his side, it is not difficult to understand why comparisons have been drawn between the 21-year-old and the Real Madrid and Germany legend Kroos, nor is it hard to see why Rangers would be interested in the starlet.
Indeed, should "the future of Belgian football" - in the words of Kulig - be available for as little as £5m this winter, it is clear for all to see that Wilson must do all he can to land the playmaker, as Raskin could well become Rangers' very own Kroos-esque talent in the heart of Michael Beale's midfield - something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for all involved with the club.