Derek Ferguson has questioned Rangers' decision to approach Bologna over a potential deal for his son Lewis Ferguson this summer, arguing the Ibrox club must have known the midfielder's valuation before entering negotiations.
The former Rangers midfielder confirmed that the Gers did make an approach for Ferguson during the summer transfer window, as Derek McInnes looked to add greater quality and leadership to his midfield.
The Bologna captain fits almost perfectly with the type of player Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh recently said the club wanted to recruit, having established himself as a leader in Serie A and a Scotland international.
Financial issues halt any deal
However, the financial challenge proved significant.
Bologna are understood to value Ferguson in the region of €15 million to €20 million, with reports putting their current asking price around €17 million.
Ferguson's father believes Rangers should have known those parameters before approaching the Italian club.
Speaking on the Open Goal podcast, he questioned the point of entering discussions if Rangers were not prepared to meet the valuation.
“See the thing with Lewis, was that not a waste of time?” Ferguson said.
“A waste of time having the conversations because they must have known the price was between 15 and 20 million euros.
“Rangers just can’t go there for a player. So why did they go down that route?”
The comments come amid growing frustration over the pace of Rangers' recruitment this summer.
‘They’re just being too slow’
Ferguson also offered his assessment of McInnes' current Rangers squad, suggesting the manager has not been able to bring in all of the players he identified.
“Very unlike a Derek McInnes side,” he said.
“That's what I thought. See when he got put in the position as manager and I'm thinking, are we going to be silky and great to watch?
“No, but we're going to win. We'll be organised. We'll be physical. We'll be active and we're going to win games.”
Ferguson questioned whether the issue lies with McInnes' recruitment targets or the club's ability to get those deals completed.
“Is it the personnel? Is it the recruitment? He's obviously wanted certain players in the door. And I think he's not got them.”
He later added: “I think he's got players in mind, and I think they're just being too slow to get them in and I think there's a wee bit of frustration in there as well.”
That assessment is particularly relevant given Rangers' recent transfer activity, with the club having already undergone significant squad turnover this summer.
Ferguson fits Cavenagh's Rangers blueprint
The pursuit of Lewis Ferguson was logical from Rangers' perspective.
Cavenagh outlined the characteristics the club wants to add to its squad at the end of last season.
“Our focus will be less about raw talent and more about things like chemistry and leadership, steel, and footballing IQ,” he said.
Ferguson possesses all of those qualities.
He has captained Bologna, played extensively in Serie A and represented Scotland at international level. He also has a personal connection to Rangers, having been part of the club's academy before being released as a youngster, afterwards making his way in the game at Hamilton and later Aberdeen.
His agent Bill McMurdo previously revealed that Ferguson was hurt by that decision.
“They said he was too heavy and he would never make the grade. That stung, as you can imagine,” McMurdo said.
Despite that disappointment, McMurdo has maintained that Ferguson still wants to play for Rangers one day.
“I'll tell you this; Lewis will play for Rangers before his career finishes,” he said.
“Absolutely no doubt about that.”
Rangers have been unable to bridge the financial gap with Bologna for the player and Ferguson's comments make clear that he believes the approach itself was questionable if Rangers already knew the scale of the investment required.
The door may not be closed permanently, but Rangers will need to decide whether Ferguson is the type of premium signing worth restructuring their summer budget to accommodate.
Add us as a preferred source on Google