Aston Villa are monitoring Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin as competition increases for the Belgium international.
Raskin enhanced his reputation with a strong World Cup campaign and is attracting interest from clubs across England, Spain, Germany and Italy.
According to the Daily Record, Villa are watching the situation closely while Real Betis continue talks over a possible move.
Premier League newcomers Hull City have already failed with an eight-figure offer. Two Bundesliga clubs are also interested, while Rangers have received proposals approaching their valuation.
The Scottish club reportedly want around £20m and believe an agreement could be reached soon.
Villa continue major midfield rebuild
Unai Emery has already overseen significant changes to his midfield following Youri Tielemans’ £35m move to Manchester United and Amadou Onana’s serious knee injury.
Johan Manzambi has arrived from Freiburg, while Villa are also completing a deal for Wolves midfielder João Gomes.
However, ReadAstonVilla recently examined how further midfield work remains part of Emery’s unexpected rebuild.
Raskin could offer another energetic option across a demanding season involving Premier League and Champions League football. His performances for Belgium have also demonstrated his ability to compete at a higher level.
Rangers are under little immediate pressure to sell but have already strengthened their midfield by signing Dan Neil and Cammy Devlin.
They stand to make a substantial profit after paying Standard Liège around £1.5m for Raskin in January 2023. The Belgian club would receive a percentage of any future fee through a sell-on clause.
Villa have not submitted a confirmed offer and appear to be monitoring developments rather than leading negotiations.
With rival bids moving closer to Rangers’ asking price, Emery’s recruitment team may need to decide quickly whether Raskin is a serious target or one name on a wider midfield shortlist.
