For Rangers, the most important development before Thursday’s Europa League third qualifying round first leg in Poland is not a new signing or a transfer rumour. It is the possibility that Nicolas Raskin could finally be available again, giving the squad a midfield option at a moment when the season already feels like it needs settling.
Raskin, the 25-year-old Belgium midfielder, has been linked with a move away from Rangers this summer. But with Rangers set to face Jagiellonia Bialystok on Thursday, his potential return matters because this is a tie the club needs to manage properly across two legs. The framed the match as one Rangers must navigate well enough to give themselves a better chance of finishing the job at Ibrox.
That is why Cammy Bell described Raskin’s availability as positive for Rangers. Bell also pointed out that Raskin has played plenty of minutes for Belgium at the World Cup, which is part of the reason there is still a question over his condition. “We’d expect him to play a part in the game because he is a quality player,” Bell said, adding that while Rangers have him, they should use him.
What Raskin changes
The value here is not just that Rangers may have another midfielder. It is that they may have a midfielder who brings quality, experience and enough credibility to help steady a team that has already faced early-season scrutiny. Bell’s remarks suggested as much: Raskin is “a player that’s come off the back of playing a lot of minutes,” and if he is fit enough, he should be involved.
That matters because Rangers have already been active in the market. On Wednesday they signed Daisuke Yokota from Hannover, and Raskin’s return talk comes alongside the arrivals of Cammy Devlin and Vanja Dragojevic. In other words, this is not an isolated selection issue. It is part of a wider reshaping of the squad after a 1-1 draw against Dundee United, a result that has clearly sharpened the discussion around where Rangers are strong and where they still need more.
Andy Halliday was blunt about that opening-day frustration. He called it a “really poor opener” against Dundee United and said it highlighted deficiencies in certain areas of the pitch. He also noted that the result on Friday pushed Rangers into overdrive, with one winger signed, several more linked and bids submitted for others. That wider transfer movement gives the Raskin situation extra weight: if he stays, he is useful; if he goes later in the window, Rangers need him now anyway.
Why Thursday matters
Bell was clear that the fixture itself carries real pressure. Rangers “need to progress through this,” he said, because a positive result in Poland would make the return leg at Ibrox more manageable. That is the basic knockout logic, but it also explains why a player like Raskin matters even before the long-term transfer question is settled. Good teams do not just need bodies. They need players who can handle tense matches where rhythm, control and composure matter as much as running power.
There is still a degree of uncertainty around his match sharpness. Bell acknowledged that Rangers do not yet know exactly what condition he is in after only a few weeks off. But the direction of travel is obvious enough: if he is available, he is likely to feature, and Rangers would rather make that decision with a player of his level than without him.
So the headline is not simply that Raskin may return. It is that Rangers could get a meaningful midfield option back at exactly the right time, before a tie that could shape their European path. In a season where the discussion has already turned to balance, depth and repair, that is a significant detail.
