Rangers will loses two key player to the transfer window

Gary Keown believes Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande can become marketable assets for Rangers and see the “mythical player-trading model” utilised.

The Gers’ midfield duo have played a key role in recent weeks as Philippe Clement’s side have gone nine games without defeat in all competitions.

With a League Cup final against Celtic coming up on Sunday (15 December), the pair have to prove themselves on the biggest stage.

Keown has suggested, in his column for The Scottish Mail on Sunday, if the Light Blues’ midfielders help win the cup, sales could be utilised to turn a transfer myth into reality.

He said: “For Rangers midfield pair Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande, the next step is clear. Prove they’ve got the wherewithal to keep their games at a consistent level. And be winners.

“If Diomande and Raskin can really make inroads on changing themselves into proper marketable assets, through and turn the ‘mythical player-trading model’ – as former chairman John Bennett put it – into something real and operational, all hope might not be lost down Govan way despite all the grimness of late.”

Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande could leave Rangers

There have been many poor incoming and outgoing transfers from Govan in recent years which have certainly frustrated fans.

This saw Bennett describe the transfer market as a “mythical player-trading model” [Football Scotland] which almost sums up everything wrong at Ibrox.

There isn’t enough money available for transfers to be wasting money on players while also not bringing anything in from sales.

Evidence of this was shared at the most recent AGM where just £810k was brought in from the sales of Sam Lammers, Connor Goldson, Todd Cantwell, Scott Wright and Robbie McCrorie in the summer [Chris Jack].

With the changes in the boardroom at Ibrox, the potential sales of Raskin and Diomande could represent the start of a new era.