Brighton Are Interested In 25-Year-Old Rangers Man: What Should McInnes Do? | OneFootball

Brighton and Hove Albion are ramping up their tracking of Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin. According to reports from TEAMTalk, via transfer feed, the Premier League club have kept close tabs on the 25-year-old Belgian for the past 18 months, weighing up his readiness for the physical demands of English football.

Rangers brace for Brighton bids as Nico Raskin interest intensifies

No official bids have landed on the table at Ibrox yet. But the transfer window is intensifying. The Glasgow hierarchy fully expects formal paperwork to arrive soon, forcing them into a massive decision. Raskin has become the heartbeat of this Rangers engine room since moving to Scotland. Losing him leaves a gaping hole right in the centre of the pitch.

Down on the south coast, Brighton have built a reputation on spotting this exact profile of talent before anyone else triggers a bidding war. English clubs regularly look north of the border for technically gifted players, and Albion have the financial muscle to test the absolute limit of the Rangers board’s resolve. Handing a manager a major squad headache right at the start of the summer is never ideal.

Money talks for McInnes in Ibrox rebuild

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Nico Raskin of Rangers is seen during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Rangers FC and AS Roma at Ibrox Stadium on November 06, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

New boss Derek McInnes faces a baptism of fire. The former Hearts manager, fresh off a manager of the year campaign where he pushed the Old Firm remarkably close, understands the unique cauldron of Glasgow football. He simply cannot afford a slow start.

If a serious Premier League package arrives, the decision will be taken out of his hands. Scottish football operates on a brutal economic reality. You sell when an asset hits its peak valuation. McInnes is a realist. He knows you cannot stand in the way of a player eyeing the riches of England.

A fee in the region of £20 million looks far too substantial to reject. Cashing in makes complete sense if it funds a total squad overhaul. McInnes has already pulled off a coup by landing Lawrence Shankland on a free transfer. Funnelling the Raskin cash into a leaky backline and adding genuine pace on the flanks is the smartest play here. Keeping a player against his will always sours the dressing room. Rangers need to extract every single penny from Brighton to fund a proper title charge against Celtic.