The January window is often a time for reflection, for reckoning. And for Nicolas Raskin, the writing has been on the Ibrox wall for a while now. Goal...
The January window is often a time for reflection, for reckoning. And for Nicolas Raskin, the writing has been on the Ibrox wall for a while now. GoalZaza understands the Belgian midfielder is actively seeking a move away from Glasgow, with Serie A high fliers Atalanta emerging as a genuine destination. It is a move that makes sense for all parties. Raskin, for all his tidy footwork and ability to receive the ball on the half turn, has never truly imposed himself on the Scottish game. He arrived with a reputation as a deep lying playmaker, a controller of tempo. But in the rapid, transitional nature of the Premiership, he has often looked a yard short of the pace, a passenger when the game bypasses the midfield.Atalanta, however, play a different kind of football. Gian Piero Gasperini's system demands high energy and aggressive pressing, but it also offers a designated role for a metronome, a player who can break lines with a pass rather than a dribble. Raskin's tactical flexibility, his comfort in possession, would be a far better fit for a side that dominates the ball rather than one that chases it. The question is whether Rangers will recoup the fee they paid Standard Liege. Atalanta are shrewd operators, masters of the loan with an option. Do not be surprised to see a structured deal that sees Raskin head to Bergamo initially on a temporary basis, with a view to a permanent switch. It is a move that feels right. The boy needs a different canvas.Elsewhere, the managerial merry go round continues to spin. The vacancy at Tynecastle remains a talking point, a job that demands a strong personality and a clear understanding of the city's tribal demands. Hearts have the infrastructure and the support base to challenge for third, but the recruitment has been scattergun. The next appointment is a crucial one. And down in Ayrshire, Kilmarnock have moved with quiet efficiency, agreeing a deal for a new goalkeeper. It is the kind of low key but necessary business that keeps a club like Killie competitive, a reminder that the real work in the transfer market rarely makes the back page splash. Raskin's situation, however, is the one that carries the real narrative weight. A player seeking a new lease of life, a club in Atalanta looking for a specific profile. It has the makings of a classic January fit.
