Leeds United face transfer road block as £20m price tag set for midfield summer target | OneFootball

It won’t be a cheap deal if Leeds want to get it over the line, with plenty of competition for the Belgian's services too

Scottish side Rangers have reportedly slapped a £20m price tag on the head of midfielder Nicolas Raskin - which could be a stumbling block in Leeds United's interest.

That’s according to a report from TEAMtalk, who claim that Daniel Farke's side, as well as Aston Villa and Brentford are among the t teams keen on the Belgian.

He has been dubbed “the best midfielder in Scotland” by Rangers’ sporting director, Nils Koppen, and given the interest in him, it seems probable that landing Raskin would require Leeds to earn a place in the Premier League if they are to be in the running for his services.

Rangers set price-tag for Leeds United target Nicolas Raskin

The 24-year-old joined Rangers in January 2023 for £1.32m from Standard Liege and adjusted well to his new surroundings, but it wasn’t until this season that he truly started catching the eye.

He’s turned out 26 times in the Scottish Premiership for the Gers, scoring one goal and providing five assists.

Added to that, he’s racked up 10 outings in the Europa League during this campaign, bagging a goal and an assist, with particularly strong performances against the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

To top it all off, he got his first senior caps for Belgium earlier this month, both coming in the two-legged UEFA Nations League tie with Ukraine.

Given those performances, a contract running until the summer of 2027 and clubs in England, Germany and Italy all eyeing the star, it is little wonder Rangers are holding out for a bumper £20m fee.

Leeds United may be making space in engine room this summer for Nicolas Raskin

An approach for Raskin by Leeds this summer would appear to make sense, given their current midfield picture.

Bournemouth loanee Joe Rothwell has made 35 Championship appearances for the Whites this season, many of which coming in the same defensive midfield role that Raskin has predominately been tasked with at Rangers.

There has been no word of any option-to-buy clause in Rothwell’s loan deal, meaning without a transfer agreement the 30-year-old will return to the Vitality Stadium this summer.

Pundit David Prutton considered a permanent deal for Rothwell as a good option for Leeds when speaking exclusively to Football League World recently, but such an agreement coming to fruition is far from guaranteed.

If the Whites do wave goodbye to Rothwell this summer, they could do a lot worse than Raskin as a replacement to bolster their midfield numbers.

Promotion for Leeds United could be the clincher for Nicolas Raskin deal

Providing Leeds could get close enough to the Scottish side’s valuation, there is still the issue of convincing the player that Elland Road is the right venue for him.

Having held his own against the likes of United and Spurs on the European stage, this would be a whole lot easier if Leeds could offer him Premier League football.

With the likes of Villa and Brentford interested, it’s difficult to see how they might overcome that obstacle without a promotion.

They currently sit in first place in the Championship, so the signs are positive, but maintaining that position will likely be crucial for them to stand any chance of beating off competition from the top-level sides Raskin has attracted, not to mention the boost in finances it would provide to help meet the asking price.