‘It Would Be’ – Journalist Tells Club To Sign Rangers Star Over Newcastle United Man | OneFootball

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Turkish journalist Ali Ece has admitted that if he had to choose between Besiktas signing Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin or Newcastle United star Joe Willock then he would favour the Belgian.

The Super Lig side were looking to bolster their midfield ranks in the summer, with an eye on both Raskin and Willock, as well as Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.

Besiktas felt they were well advanced in the swoop to sign Willock from Newcastle, but it was blocked following his showing against Liverpool in the Premier League on the opening day of the season.

The move for Raskin also fell through after the Gers decided to pull the plug, having concluded that the deal was not sufficiently beneficial to them, despite the 25-year-old having mentally prepared himself to leave Ibrox.

With the season now well under way, both clubs will be pleased with how things have unfolded, with Raskin making five starts and pulling the strings in midfield under Derek McInnes, while Willock has already registered three goals to his name on Tyneside.

Besiktas are being linked with going back in for both players in the January transfer window.

Ece compared the qualities of Willock and Raskin, identifying both as options while highlighting the different roles they can offer.

He described the Englishman as the more attack-minded player, while viewing the Gers star as capable of replacing Salih Ozcan or playing alongside him, and would ideally like Besiktas to sign both.

Raskin is the midfielder he would favour though if only one could be landed.

Ece made his preference clear when asked to choose between the two, saying on Turkish show Siyah Beyaz: “Both.

“Willock is more of an attacking player; Raskin, on the other hand, is both a replacement for Salih Ozcan and a player who could be fielded alongside Salih.

“However, if I had to choose just one, it would be Raskin.”

The Black Eagles are plotting a January move for Willock ahead of next season, with the Magpies midfielder’s contract set to expire in June and a pre-contract agreement potentially on the table.

However, those plans could shift if Mathias Jaissle is impressed by the midfielder’s performances this season.

Meanwhile, Raskin’s future could come down to the fee Rangers are prepared to accept for the Belgium international.

The Light Blues will know that by the time the January transfer window opens, the 25-year-old will have just 18 months left on his Ibrox contract, potentially making the winter window a timely opportunity to cash in on the midfielder.