Rangers will have to consider signing a replacement for Nicolas Raskin should he leave after the World Cup.
Raskin is open to a Rangers exit, and his representatives are aware of the interest being shown in his services.
The 25-year-old is currently in North America as he is part of the Belgian side hoping to make a deep run in the tournament.
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Rangers told to sign Lewis Ferguson to replace Nicolas Raskin
Andy Halliday believes that Lewis Ferguson is a tailor-made replacement for Raskin this summer and has urged the Gers to go out and sign him.
In his view, the Light Blues need quality in their squad and if the Belgium international leaves, he will need to be replaced by a good player.
Halliday is of the opinion that a stumbling block would be Ferguson’s transfer fee, as he’s a key player at Bologna and also their captain.
Rangers News understands that £20m is what Raskin is valued at, but that could change given the kind of interest shown in him in the coming weeks.
Nicolas Raskin has been linked with a Rangers exit…
Should they manage to sell him for good money, they can afford to sign Ferguson this summer.
Discussing the potential deal, Halliday said: “Lewis Ferguson ticks boxes for Rangers. I do think it’s of vital importance to get homegrown players, players who know the league, in. But Rangers still need quality within their squad. Lewis ticks both of those boxes.
“I think Derek’s going to look for that mould of player – a guy with character and desire, who knows what it’s like to play in Scotland, who knows what the club’s all about and who can get in around the younger players within the squad because Rangers do have a fairly young squad.
“The only question is, ‘What is the value of a player that’s done ever so well in Serie A?’. Not last season, but the previous season, he was the best midfielder in the league. He is also the captain of Bologna. The fee could be the only real stumbling block.
“But it’s inevitable that a couple of players at Rangers and Celtic are going to have a lot of interest in them. Now what fee can Rangers demand for Nico Raskin? Could you go and use that for Lewis? It’s as simple as that.
“Nico’s at the World Cup; I thought he actually came on and made a really positive impact for Belgium. So I think you use this money and get a player that you know is a ready-made replacement.”
How did Ferguson fare last season?
While the 26-year-old is capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, he was deployed in a deeper role at Bologna last season.
Ferguson was a regular for the Italian side, making 45 appearances in all competitions, including 14 in the Europa League.
He showed that he was capable of playing two games a week and dealt with the pressure of being the club captain as well.
While he did not have too much to show for, bar one goal scored, his impact was far from what he could do in the final third, and the Gers would undoubtedly love having a player like him in the team.
