Rangers could sign the SPFL’s “best midfielder”

And so, the 2026/27 Premiership season will kick off with a trip to Tannadice for Derek McInnes and Glasgow Rangers, with just over a month to go until proceedings get underway.

McInnes in the Ibrox dugout – as will be the case a week later against Hibernian – feels like a long time coming, the experienced 54-year-old marking a stark contrast to the prior gambles on the likes of Russell Martin and Danny Rohl.

The latter man, only appointed back in October, has swiftly packed his bags after seeing the club’s title bid come undone across April and May, that hasty exit perhaps suiting all parties after such a rocky end to last term.

It wouldn’t be wrong to suggest that Rohl’s move to Salzburg could mark the start of something of an exodus under the new McInnes regime, with speculation already rife regarding a possible club-record sale for Emmanuel Fernandez.

There’s also the small matter of Nicolas Raskin’s future, with the much-discussed midfielder set to finally move on this summer.

The latest on Nicolas Raskin’s future at Rangers

Raskin wished Rohl a warm farewell following the announcement of the 37-year-old’s departure, although the question remains, what of the midfielder’s own situation at Ibrox?

Year in, year out, following his initial arrival in January 2023, the 25-year-old has been tipped for a move away from the club, so often a talking point in Glasgow.

The former Standard Liege man notably endured public disputes with both Philippe Clement and Martin, although he did appear to find his groove under Rohl, ending the season with 13 goals and assists in the Premiership.

He does still have two years left to run on his contract, yet now might be the perfect time to cash in, particularly should the Belgian put himself in the shop window at the World Cup.

As relayed by TEAMtalk, Raskin is said to have made it clear to the club that he wishes to leave, having been closely monitored by a raft of Premier League clubs over the past 18 months or so.

One notable suitor is also Serie A side, Atalanta, with the Bergamo-based outfit seeking a replacement for the Manchester United-bound, Ederson, in their midfield ranks.

That likely exit would ensure that a suitable replacement is needed, with work seemingly already underway in that regard.

Rangers could replace Raskin with the Premiership’s best midfielder

After a January window that saw Tuur Rommens, Tochi Chukwuani and Ryan Naderi all arrive at Ibrox, there has since seemingly been a shift in thinking at the club, with Andrew Cavenagh and co prioritising a pro-Scottish or pro-Premiership bias when it comes to summer targets.

That has already seen the Light Blues poach Lawrence Shankland from McInnes’ former club, while reports have suggested that talks have been held over a deal for Motherwell midfielder, Elliot Watt.

Hailed as the “best midfielder in the league” in 2025/26 by analyst Kai Watson, Watt could represent the perfect upgrade on Raskin in the centre of the park, while ticking the boxes with regard to what Cavenagh is looking for.

The 26-year-old was one of many who shone under Jens Berthel Askou last term, helping to guide ‘Well to an impressive fourth-place finish in what was one of the stories of the season.

Watt was central to everything good about Askou’s high-flying side in his deep-lying midfield role, proving an effective asset himself in the final third with nine goals and assists provided.

That may have been below Raskin’s own tally, but Watt did eclipse the Belgian as a more controlling, dominant force in midfield, boasting an average of 97.1 touches per game, alongside 69 accurate passes per outing.

Raskin, for comparison, averaged just 73.8 touches and just 48.9 accurate passes on average, ranking seventh in the division for total accurate passes made (1613) – well below second-placed Watt (2347).

Rangers’ number 43 might have the edge as a box-crashing, creative threat, but defensively it was Watt who came out on top, bettering his Premiership counterpart with regard to tackles and interceptions per game (3.3 vs 3.1), as well as ball recoveries made per game (7.1 vs 4.5).

His six goals did also actually come having missed just a solitary ‘big chance’, while Raskin squandered six openings, highlighting how efficient Watt can be in front of goal.

Evidently, there is so much to like about the Motherwell playmaker, with this seemingly the perfect deal to allow Raskin to be swiftly forgotten as a new team emerges under McInnes’ watch.