West Ham should pursue a deal for the Rangers player who could complement their former Celtic star.

West Ham United have enjoyed an encouraging opening to the season under Nuno Espírito Santo, with the London club firmly focused on securing an immediate return to the Premier League.

The Hammers entered the campaign with promotion expectations and, despite the season still being in its early stages, many observers believe they have the quality to go one step further and win the Championship title. Nuno will know there is still a long way to go, but the early signs suggest his side are moving in the right direction.

West Ham have shown that they can score regularly, while their recent 1-0 victory over Swansea City, who were leading the Championship at the time, demonstrated that they can also find a way to win difficult matches without needing to dominate every minute.

That means Nuno is unlikely to believe his squad requires major changes when the January transfer window opens. Nevertheless, there is one area that could benefit from additional quality.

West Ham could strengthen their midfield

The centre of the pitch remains an area where Nuno has yet to settle on his ideal combination.

West Ham have plenty of midfield options already. Arne Engels, who arrived from Celtic as the club’s record Championship signing during the summer, has adapted well and looks capable of playing an important role.

Mohamadou Kante is another exciting prospect, while Divine Mukasa has become an important player since joining from Manchester City on loan. Tomáš Souček is also back to full fitness, giving Nuno another experienced option.

Youngster Lewis Orford continues to be highly regarded, while Edson Alvarez and Soungoutou Magassa remain part of the squad. However, it would not be surprising if one or both players moved on when the January window opens.

Therefore, West Ham are not desperately short of midfielders. What they may need, though, is someone capable of immediately improving the starting XI and giving Nuno another reliable option during the promotion battle.

That is where Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin could enter the picture.

Raskin could be an ideal January target

West Ham should consider making an approach for Raskin, particularly if they believe a deal can be reached at a sensible price.

It was somewhat surprising that the Belgium international remained at Ibrox after the summer transfer window. His performances for his country at the World Cup had increased his profile, and there was speculation that Rangers could receive significant interest.

Instead, the midfielder stayed in Scotland, much to Rangers’ benefit.

Raskin has already demonstrated the quality he possesses, including a superb finish against Dundee in his most recent outing. However, his value goes beyond the occasional goal.

The Belgian is energetic, reads situations intelligently and is comfortable covering large areas of the pitch. He also looks to move the ball forward quickly, which would suit the way West Ham want to attack.

The Hammers possess an impressive group of attacking players, meaning a midfielder capable of winning possession and progressing play from deeper positions could be extremely valuable.

Raskin could provide exactly that.

Rangers could face a difficult decision

The biggest obstacle for West Ham could be Rangers’ reluctance to sell one of their key players during the season.

The Glasgow club have ambitions of winning the Scottish Premiership and would understandably prefer to keep Raskin available for their title challenge. However, football transfers are often influenced by financial considerations, and Rangers must also think about the midfielder’s contract situation.

Raskin is currently tied to the club until 2028. That gives Rangers some protection, but if no new agreement is reached before the summer, he would enter the final year of his contract.

That could significantly affect his market value.

As a result, Rangers may eventually have to consider whether accepting a suitable offer is preferable to allowing the player to enter the final 12 months of his deal.

West Ham could therefore see an opportunity to secure a quality midfielder before his value potentially decreases.

Koppen connection could help West Ham

Another factor that could make a Raskin transfer particularly interesting is West Ham recruitment chief Nils Koppen.

Koppen knows Raskin from his previous involvement at Rangers, meaning he should already have an understanding of the Belgian’s personality, strengths and weaknesses.

That knowledge could prove useful if West Ham decide to explore a January deal.

The Hammers have previously developed a reputation for spending heavily on players, sometimes without receiving sufficient value in return. Their summer recruitment was more encouraging, though, and the club will want to maintain that approach.

Rather than simply adding another body to the squad, West Ham should focus on finding players who can make an immediate contribution while also possessing long-term value.

Raskin appears to fit that profile.

Raskin has the ability to play in the Premier League

Perhaps the strongest argument for signing Raskin is that he would not necessarily be a Championship-only player.

West Ham’s immediate objective is promotion, but their recruitment must also account for what happens afterwards.

A player capable of helping the club win promotion but unable to contribute in the Premier League would leave the Hammers facing another expensive rebuild.

Raskin could potentially avoid that problem.

His energy, technical ability, passing range and understanding of the game suggest he has the tools to compete at a higher level. A move to the Championship would also make sense for him if West Ham can offer a clear pathway back into the top flight.

The club already has considerable talent throughout the squad, and their ambitious project could make the move attractive.

Raskin and Engels could form an exciting partnership

One particularly intriguing possibility would be Raskin partnering Engels in midfield.

The two Belgians know each other from their careers and have previously been rivals during Engels’ time at Celtic. Bringing them together at West Ham could create an energetic and technically capable midfield partnership.

Both players have the ability to move the ball effectively, operate with intensity and contribute to the demands of modern football.

They would also have something to prove if West Ham returned to the Premier League.

For Nuno, that could make the January window a matter of quality rather than quantity. West Ham do not need to overhaul their squad. Instead, they need to identify one or two additions who can improve the team immediately.

Raskin could be that player.

A January agreement with Rangers would strengthen West Ham’s promotion push while potentially giving them a midfielder capable of remaining an important part of the squad in the Premier League.

For those reasons, Raskin should be firmly on West Ham’s radar.