Further cover in the centre of midfield is understood to be amongst the summer transfer priorities at Leeds United. It was the area of the squad that was exposed most throughout the 2021/22 season as injuries to Kalvin Phillips, Adam Forshaw and Stuart Dallas outlined the lack of depth.
Brenden Aaronson has been signed to rectify the lack of genuine attacking midfielder, or number 10, but cover in front of the defence is essential. The Whites look to be making positive moves in their pursuit of Marc Roca from Bayern Munich, but Nicolas Raskin is another player said to be on the radar at Elland Road.
Belgian outlet La Dernière Heure have claimed that Leeds are continuing to monitor the 21-year-old’s situation having held a previous interest. According to the same report, Genk, Club Brugge and Lille are all also sniffing around hoping to strike a deal. With just one year left on his contract at Standard Liege, he would be available at a cut-price, especially if he expresses a desire to leave.
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However, he won’t be a name known by many Leeds supporters as a player who has gone under the major European radar in Belgium. Therefore, here is everything you need to know about the young midfielder.
What has he done so far?
Raskin has been a highly-regarded player throughout his whole career so far. Growing up in Liege, he joined Standard’s academy aged just seven before moving to Anderlecht at 14. Although, it was at Gent where he was handed his first professional contract and he became the first player born in the 21 st century to play in the Belgian top flight when he made his one and only appearance of the 2017/18 campaign.
Incidentally, that was the only senior game he would play for Gent before sealing a return to Standard in January 2019, aged 18. From there, Raskin hasn’t looked back and, after one season spent largely in the youth set up, he has been a mainstay in the first team in Liege for two years.
His Pro League stats are exactly the same in both of those campaigns having played 29 games in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, scoring a single goal in both and registering four assists. It is in the last two years where he has attracted attention from clubs around Europe, most notably Leeds whose interest was first reported on back in January.
His potential is perhaps best represented in the way he has represented Belgium at every youth age group from Under-15s all the way up to Under-21s where he continues to be a member of the squad. At the time of writing, he has already accumulated 49 international caps between those age groups with eyes fixed on converting them into a maiden senior call up.
Why would Leeds want him?
Raskin very much suits what Leeds are looking for; he’s young, he would provide valuable competition at the base of the midfield and he isn’t too expensive. Of course, with him being a very affordable option, Jesse Marsch won’t be getting a polished, experience senior player but it is a low-risk option with great potential.
By trade, he’s very similar to Phillips, scarily so. Raskin is a playmaker who operates best in front of the defence with a keen desire to press and win the ball back. For those reasons, it is clear to see why Leeds are reportedly interested.
He is equally competent threading an eight-yard pass into one of his attacking team mates than he is playing a 40-yard cross-field switched pass into the path of a winger or a full-back. Meanwhile, out of possession, he is brilliant defending one-v-one with the use of his body whether he’s square on to the attacker or running adjacent.
His contribution in the attacking third is minimal but that won’t unduly worry those in charge of recruitment in the knowledge that there is enough firepower elsewhere in the Leeds squad to carry out the goalscoring duties. Although, Raskin is a player who makes intelligent runs and his ability to chip in with a goal or two could certainly be honed.
What has been said about him?
Raskin has long impressed his coaches and managers. His senior Standard career got properly underway when Mbaye Leye was in charge of the club. Speaking in April 2021, the Senegalese manager said: "He continues to learn but his room for improvement is enormous. You can almost always count on him.
“He has an eye to see if everyone is in the right position and he also coaches on the pitch. When he comes low in the game, intercepts and goes forward to press, he hurts.
“The most advanced among the youngsters of the first team? Yes, but that's normal. He was already ready last season under Michel Preud'Homme after the winter camp in Marbella where he had done a huge preparation. If the championship had not been stopped by the coronavirus, he would have had playing time last year.”
Leye’s successor Luka Elsner had similar praise for Raskin in March of this year. He said: "I think he has the shoulders to become one [a captain]. He still needs to gain maturity to be able to lead the group in his wake. But it's not easy to be captain at Standard. The moment really has to be timely.
"He has been present all season despite the context of the team. And he has taken a step forward in his involvement and in defensive returns. In the last matches, he is the player who in the last third brought the most of attacking situations.
“He is an important player who represents the values of Standard quite well. And he flourishes in this position a little more advanced on the chessboard. He lacked a little space when we played with two number sixes. "
