Four times now. That’s how often a Turkish giant has come knocking for one of Derek McInnes‘s most prized midfielders, and four times the move has fallen apart.
Takvim, relayed via Sport Witness, says Beşiktaş still haven’t given up. The Istanbul club plans to return in January, and they’re casting the net wider this time, with West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos also sitting on their shortlist.
Nicolas Raskin is the man at the heart of it. The 25-year-old Belgian international arrived from Standard Liège in January 2023 for a modest fee and has since become the engine of the Ibrox midfield. His contract runs until 2028, and a €15m price tag keeps cropping up in the chatter.
How close did Raskin come to leaving?
Closer than most fans realised. Late in the summer window, reports claimed Beşiktaş had a deal sorted, and Raskin appeared set to fly out. Then he turned up in the squad for the Falkirk game, played 90 minutes and rejected the offer.
He admitted afterwards he’d been mentally ready to go, yet he also called the matter closed. That door hasn’t slammed shut for good, though.
Should McInnes sell Raskin in January?
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 10: Nicolas Raskin of Rangers is seen warming up during the William Hill Premiership 2026/27 match between Glasgow Rangers and Kilmarnock at Ibrox Stadium on October 10, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
If I’m McInnes, I say no unless the money’s silly. Raskin is the one midfielder I can’t easily replace. He carries the ball out of tight spaces, he wins second balls, and he already knows exactly what I want from him. Selling midseason means hunting for a like-for-like option while rival clubs charge a premium for desperation. That rarely ends well.
Then there’s the head issue. Raskin has said he was ready to leave, and a player with one foot out of the door can drift. I’d sit him down, tell him straight what the plan is, and watch his training closely. If his standards slip, the decision makes itself.
The €15m figure isn’t bad for a player who cost a modest fee, yet it’s no fortune either. A bigger league might offer more come summer, and Beşiktaş can’t match that stage. I’d tell the board to hold firm and only talk if a Premier League or Serie A club turns up. Otherwise, he stays, and I keep the engine running.