Lewis Ferguson may have played himself out of a move to Rangers this summer, thus handing a major blow to the Ibrox chiefs.
The Ibrox hierarchy are desperate to secure elite quality to spearhead a massive first-team rebuild, and the Bologna midfielder has heavily emerged as a dream marquee target.
Ferguson has been earning rave reviews on the global stage, putting in stellar performances for Scotland at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, his spectacular form in North America may have inadvertently handed the Rangers board a major financial headache.
Daily Record journalist Keith Jackson has delivered a grounded reality check on the Hotline Live show, expressing serious fears that the former Aberdeen ace’s soaring valuation could quickly derail a romantic return to Scotland.
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Keith Jackson sounds Lewis Ferguson transfer warning
The respected journalist believes Ferguson’s world-class exploits on the international stage have fundamentally altered his market value this summer.
Bologna fielded bids as high as £22million last year, but his agent Bill McMurdo suggested he may be available on a cut-price deal this summer after playing a reduced role at the Serie A club in the recently concluded season.
Jackson previously claimed that the Gers may be able to bring Ferguson back to Ibrox for £12m, but has now changed his mind.
Speaking on Hotline Live, he said: “He [Ferguson] may have taken himself out of Rangers’ price bracket.”
However, Jackson feels Rangers are completely desperate to strike a deal, although elite European competition could now easily scupper their plans.
He fears that affluent continental heavyweights could arrive to completely dwarf any Scottish offer.
The journalist concluded that Ibrox chiefs face an uphill battle to present an astronomical fee that the Italian side would find acceptable.
“I’d be astonished if Rangers aren’t exploring every last opportunity, but you do wonder if he comes onto the radar of some of these bigger clubs that could just come in and brush Rangers aside financially.
“Rangers would need to work really, really hard to get a financial deal in place that Bologna would see as worth their while.”
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The harsh reality is that Ferguson’s stock is back on the rise after impressing at the World Cup, making a summer switch to Ibrox incredibly complex.
While the lure of returning to his boyhood roots is powerful, footballing economics will ultimately dictate his next destination.
If Andrew Cavenagh is to make this dream a reality, the club must prepare to break their structure to match Bologna’s steep valuation.
