‘Only Way’ – Former Rangers Star Sees One Path To Gers Signing Linked Player | OneFootball

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Alex Rae has outlined the ‘only way’ he sees for Rangers to sign Lewis Ferguson from Bologna, if they badly want to land the midfielder.

Ferguson started playing his football with Rangers as a youngster, but needed to make his breakthrough at Hamilton Academical.

He found his best form while playing for Aberdeen, though, and that secured him a move to Serie A with Bologna in the summer of 2022.

There were suggestions this summer that Rangers wanted him back, but the valuation Bologna set for him always led to a suspicion that the deal could be tough to do.

Ferguson ended up staying put in Serie A, but links with Rangers have not gone away and the midfielder himself gave them further rocket fuel recently by admitting playing for the Gers is never far from his mind.

Rae simply does not see the rational for Rangers splashing the amount that has been floated for Ferguson in the January transfer window, especially due to his age.

Reflecting on his initial opinion on Ferguson, while he was still in his early 20s, Rae said on PLZ Soccer (00.31): “I said in and around about 20/21 that Rangers should go and get him. I saw a lot of good attributes in this boy.

“I watched him closely for Hamilton, where he accumulated over 100 games and you thought to yourself ‘I like what I see with this boy’.

“I got a wee bit of stick at that time and I could just see really good progression and he has really kicked on to become an international player.

“Now he has obviously gone over to Italy and did really well. He captained the team and so forth.

“I think he has got a couple of years left.

“For Rangers to go out now and spend whatever, say £15m, just conservative give or take whatever the value on that or maybe £20m, whatever the value on that.

“I think it would be madness to sign a guy for Rangers for say £15m-£20m, whatever the figure is, plus his wages.

“Because within three or four years, the valuation there is lost, because there is no sell-on valuation.”

If Rangers are to land Ferguson then Rae believes the only way is to negotiate a knock-down fee next summer or hold on to sign the midfielder on a free transfer.

“For me the only way that this materialises is, I think is 2028 possibly when he is out of contract, which is not long time in football terms.

“You come to next summer, which is what – summer of 2027; I think he might only have a year left. I know that they will be trying to look after their asset.

“But we have seen it time after time where people run down their contract.

“For me, that would be the perfect time because he would be 28, 29 in about 18 months.

“And I think if they could get him, then you could throw more money at the player if you wanted him that badly and you don’t have to pay the big fee.

“That is the only way I can see this materialising.”

Rangers boss Derek McInnes currently is spoilt for options in the central midfield area, with as many as six options to choose from.

One of the club’s most influential players, Nico Raskin, was linked with a move away in the summer but it did not happen and he has admitted it was mentally tough to take as he expected it to happen.