A cynic might suggest that Nicolas Raskin is doing all he can to put himself in the shop window this summer, with the Glasgow Rangers star having been instrumental in Belgium’s progression at the World Cup.
In any case, the 25-year-old’s fine form is a win-win scenario for new boss Derek McInnes. If Raskin is to stay, he should return to Ibrox with real momentum behind him.
If he is to leave, there should certainly be a market out there for him, with the potential price tag being bumped up with each passing week.
Should the Gers cash in as expected, Partizan Belgrade’s Vanja Dragojevic is believed to be in line to replace him, with the midfield unit set for a real overhaul this summer.
Why Dragojevic could be the man to replace Raskin at Rangers
It’s the summer of the skipper in Glasgow, with the Light Blues poaching Lawrence Shankland from Hearts, while also landing former Sunderland club captain, Dan Neil, on a free transfer.
Dragojevic, while still only 20, fits the brief too, having worn the armband himself back in Serbia last season, a sign of why he could be
Raskin’s successor as the new midfield leader.
Believed to be up for grabs for around £5m, the two-cap Serbian international enjoyed a standout 2025/26 campaign, scoring and assisting seven goals in the league, while averaging a solid 2.3 tackles and interceptions and 4.3 ball recoveries per game.
An asset both as a ball-winner and a box-crasher from his number six berth, Dragojevic certainly mirrors Raskin in that regard, the Belgian really coming alive under Danny Rohl’s watch.
Indeed, the former Standard Liege star ended last term with 13 goals and assists in the Premiership, having averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions, alongside 4.5 ball recoveries.
Dragojevic fits the bill then as someone who can be the midfield focal point, the type of player for McInnes to build around heading into next season.
Excitingly too, there might well be more where that came from over the coming weeks.
How Rangers could sign an even bigger talent than Dragojevic
Lewis Ferguson, once on the books at Ibrox as a teenager, remains the dream target by all accounts, but the likelihood of that deal progressing appears slim, not least due to the finances involved.
Whether the 26-year-old is actually ready to return to Scotland this summer is also up for debate, although one man who does appear to be keen on making the switch is Tromso starlet, Jens Hjerto-Dahl.
As reported by journalist Rune Robertson on X, the 20-year-old has admitted that he favours a move to Rangers despite rival interest from Besiktas, with a bid from the Scottish side believed to be in the works.
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The impact of Hjerto-Dahl joining Rangers |
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|---|---|
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Strengths |
Goalscoring, ball-carrying, physicality |
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Weaknesses |
Cost (high price tag) |
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Biggest winners |
Shankland, Naderi, Chermiti (box-crasher) |
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Biggest losers |
Neil, Barron, Diomande (more competition) |
The young Norwegian was tipped for an Ibrox switch back in January, yet now could command a fee of around £8.5m, amid his sparkling form in his homeland.
Of course, Dragojevic is a talent in his own right, but Hjerto-Dahl – as that asking price suggests – might be an even bigger star in the making, another figure for McInnes to build around.
The towering midfielder is a number six or number eight by trade, like Dragojevic, yet is perhaps an even greater goal threat, as he’s shown in the 2026 Eliteserien season already.
Across 12 outings in the competition, Hjerto-Dahl has scored five times, while registering two assists, already matching the tally of goal involvements that Dragojevic achieved from 35 appearances last season.
That follows the Norwegian’s record of eight goal involvements in 2025.
There’s a real completeness to the Scandinavian’s game that is to be admired, as seen in the fact that he also boasts an 85% pass accuracy rate and averages 1.3 successful dribbles per game. As for Dragojevic, the young Serbian averages just 83% and 0.2 for those same two metrics, respectively.
That’s not to say that Hjerto-Dahl is a weak link defensively, with his average of 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game only just below his counterpart’s aforementioned average, while he does better the Partizan skipper in terms of ball recoveries, with 5.1 on average.
A real physical monster in his own right, the Tromso sensation has only been dribbled past 0.4 times per game this year, again ahead of Dragojevic’s average (0.6).
Either player would seemingly raise the level at Ibrox, but if it is to be a choice between one or the other, then Hjerto-Dahl might be the man to favour.
If McInnes can get both in the door, well, it could mean a life on the bench for Neil and co…
