While Rangers’ recruitment department has faced its fair share of criticism over the years, Ibrox remains home to several players who have proven to be exceptional value for money.
Legendary captain Barry Ferguson believes Rangers could already turn a significant profit on Hamza Igamane, less than a season after the Moroccan sensation arrived for a fee just under £2 million.
Meanwhile, Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, and Clinton Nsiala all joined Rangers as free agents after their contracts expired elsewhere.
The fact that Chelsea are now showing interest in the dynamic left-back Jefte speaks volumes about how far the £400,000 bargain signing has come since a slow start to life in Scotland.
As for Nico Raskin, since returning from a lengthy injury layoff, the Belgian midfielder has been performing like a £17 million player rather than the £1.7 million signing he was.
With only one matchday remaining before the Europa League knockout stages begin, Raskin still leads the competition’s charts for tackles won per 90 minutes among all midfielders.
Raskin was ‘outstanding’ as Rangers thumped Celtic 3-0 in their first outing of 2025. Even Hoops hero Chris Sutton, who is rarely quick to praise anyone in blue, couldn’t ignore the all-action display from the midfielder, whose relentless energy and fierce battling qualities ended Philippe Clement’s long wait for a maiden Old Firm victory.
Nico Raskin labelled the only Rangers player who would start for Celtic:
Ian McCall, who spent two years in the heart of Rangers’ midfield between 1987 and 1989, believes there is likely only one player in Clement’s current squad who would comfortably walk into Celtic’s starting XI at this moment.
It’s not Jack Butland, Vaclav Cerny, Jefte, or even Hamza Igamane—though the latter could certainly make a case after Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure to Rennes—but the man who led by example in place of injured captain James Tavernier during Rangers’ first league win over their bitter rivals since May 2023.
“I think Raskin is a right good player. A real good player,” says McCall, most recently seen managing League Two side Clyde.
“He is the one player, I think, who could go in the Celtic team.”
A £1.7 million signing from Belgian club Standard Liege, Raskin has not only put his injury struggles behind him but has also emerged as a key figure for Rangers.
The 23-year-old has played the full 90 minutes in 13 of the club’s last 16 Premiership matches, as well as in each of their last five Europa League games.
Clement attributes Raskin’s remarkable turnaround to his growing understanding of the importance of nutrition and the experience he has gained since joining the club.
Philippe Clement explains Raskin revival at Rangers:
“The biggest difference with Nico is that, physically, he’s taking really good steps,” Clement said after December’s 1-1 Europa League draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
“He spoke himself about the diet. That’s also a thing the club is helping with. So the chef in the club helps Nico with his food.
“Nico, tactically, is taking really big steps about what to do in which moment, and he’s still a young player. Football is a game with a lot of details that you need to take control of, and Nico is learning really fast. Same as with Dio, same as with Conor Barron. All young midfielders, all exciting talents.
“The midfield, it’s the engine of the team. It’s important to do the right things, at the right moments, and controlling the games really well. To take out transitions, to have good positioning, but also to be available and knowing where to play, where to play the balls.
“So, yeah, I’m really happy with the evolution of Nico, but not only him.”
