Gareth Bale quit football at age of 33 AL-RAYYAN, QATAR - ARCHIVE: A file photo dated November 21, 2022 shows Gareth Bale 11 of Wales reacts during FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball Qatar 2022 Group B match between USA and Wales at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Qatar on November 21, 2022. Gareth Bale, who plays in Los Angeles, one of the American First Division MLS, Fussball Herren, USA teams, ended his active football life at the age of 33. Ar Rayyan Qatar. Editorial use only. Please get in touch for any other usage. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxTURxUSAxCANxUKxJPNxITAxFRAxAUSxESPxBELxKORxRSAxHKGxNZL Copyright: x2025xAnadoluxMustafaxYalcÄnx
Belgium midfielder Nico Raskin delivered a stunning performance in the World Cup last-16 victory over the USA in Seattle on Monday night.
The 25-year-old was outstanding throughout the impressive 4-1 win, creating the opening goal for Charles de Ketelaere and dictating the tempo across 90 minutes.
Raskin was picked alongside Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans in Belgium’s engine room, preferred ahead of legendary playmaker Kevin de Bruyne.
His selection was fully justified, and Raskin is now certain to start Belgium’s quarter-final against Spain after that commanding display.
Under normal circumstances, a club with two players in the World Cup quarter-finals would be desperate to keep hold of them both.
But Rangers are not operating under normal circumstances, and most supporters would happily cash in on both Raskin and Thelo Aasgaard this summer.
Despite his international brilliance, Raskin simply has not delivered consistently enough in a blue shirt at Ibrox across his time at the club.
He has threatened greatness in Glasgow, occasionally looking capable of becoming a real dressing-room leader, but those moments have been frustratingly fleeting.
With two years remaining on his current contract, now is the perfect moment for Andrew Cavenagh and new manager Derek McInnes to make a significant sale.
With Belgium, Raskin operates as a clear deep-lying number six, picking his moments to burst forward, but that clarity of role has never quite been established at Rangers.
Too many managers have tried and failed to get the very best out of him in Scotland, though his strongest spell came under caretaker boss Barry Ferguson.
The vibes coming from the player and his camp are that this is the optimum time to move on, and a Premier League move appears to suit all parties.
After an excellent World Cup campaign, Rangers should be able to command a fee in the region of £15 million or more for the Belgian midfielder.
That would represent a healthy profit on a player they signed for next to nothing from Standard Liege, and it would fund McInnes’s squad rebuild considerably.
Dan Neil has already been added to the midfield, with Vanja Dragojevic and potentially Lewis Ferguson also in the pipeline for the revamped Rangers engine room.
Aasgaard presents a similar situation, having started the group game against favourites France and scoring a brilliantly taken goal to highlight his undoubted technical ability.
The 24-year-old cost £3.5 million from Luton Town and scored eight goals in his debut season, but the quality of those contributions has been questioned.
One of those goals came against Annan in the Scottish Cup, and two arrived in the final week of the season after Rangers had already blown their title hopes.
Aasgaard looks more suited to a technical style of play rather than the hustle and bustle of the Scottish Premiership, which may ultimately seal his fate at Ibrox.
For Rangers and McInnes to genuinely rebuild and start challenging for titles again, moving on both players this summer is not nearly as mad an idea as it sounds.
About the Author
