Rangers will never quite be forgiven, by some sections of the Ibrox fanbase, for failing to ensure Lewis Ferguson did not follow in the footsteps of his uncle Derek.
With the likes of Juventus and AC Milan reportedly keen on the Bologna powerhouse – Lewis Ferguson going from Scottish Premiership prospect to Serie A sensation – any hopes the Rangers faithful had of seeing the former Aberdeen ace pull the strings in Glasgow have long since gone.
Yet, with Nils Koppen leaving the door ajar for Scotland’s finest talents to don that famous light blue shirt, a player who perhaps shares a few key attributes with Ferguson could yet end up at a Rangers side under pressure to right the wrongs of previous recruitment failings.
Rangers are interested in Lyall Cameron of Dundee; the dynamic midfielder with eight goals and seven assists to his name this season.
It is not Cameron who former Scotland international James McFadden likens to the aforementioned Ferguson, however, but his Dens Park teammate Josh Mulligan.
Rangers move for Dundee star Josh Mulligan talked up
A midfielder by trade, the tireless, seemingly triple-lunged Mulligan has been a revelation in a new-look wring-back role under Tony Docherty this season.
And, after adding another assist to his tally during Dundee’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Celtic, Andy Halliday is no longer alone in urging Rangers to snatch Mulligan as well as Cameron on pre-contract arrangements.
“Brilliant,” McFadden says when asked about Mulligan. “Brilliant. He reminds me of Lewis [Ferguson], the way he moves.
“He’s an athlete but he’s very good on the ball. He’s been brilliant. He’s playing at wing-back as well, which is not his position.”
Derek Ferguson, Lewis’ uncle and a former Gers forward, also cannot speak highly enough of the rampaging 22-year-old.
Ferguson watched on as Mulligan wreaked havoc against Phillipe Clement’s side in last week’s 1-1 draw with Dundee.
“The boy Mulligan, I love him,” adds Ferguson, who spent seven years at Ibrox in the 1980s. “All credit to him that he can play in that [wing-back] position.
“I watched him at Ibrox, and he was the one who got Dundee up the park, those driving runs when there was space to go into. He didn’t go for the simple passes
“I would take them [Mulligan and Cameron] in a minute, God almighty.”
Rangers may need to replace James Tavernier and Vaclav Cerny
Whether Mulligan has the raw talent to become a regular in the Rangers XI is anyone’s guess.
But with Vaclav Cerny’s loan deal from Wolfsburg due to expire in the summer, and with a long-term James Tavernier replacement needed too, the versatile, all-action Mulligan may well prove to be a sensible, low-cost addition capable of providing cover in both positions.
Mulligan, interestingly, is level with Tavernier in the Premiership assist charts with four apiece.
“[Rangers] just need to prepare a squad, whether it’s depth, quality, line up players for the summer and try to do as much business as they can,” Halliday said last week. “Two players I would sign right now; Lyall Cameron and Josh Mulligan. Honestly, I would sign the two of them.
“Mulligan is an athletic monster, I am signing him. I am signing the two of them on pre-contracts,” adds Halliday, who has come up against the Dundee pair this season with Motherwell.
“[Koppen] mentioned homegrown talent. See your Mulligans and Lyall Camerons, I’m not saying signing them is going to win Rangers the league. But see what [Luke] McCowan is doing for Celtic, get them two boys for proper squad depth, they will play games and do well for you.”
