Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has said he would “love to see” his nephew Lewis Ferguson at Ibrox amid rumours that the midfielder could leave Bologna.
Both his uncle Barry, and father Derek Ferguson, played for Rangers but the current Scotland international has played his own career away from Govan.
Starting at Hamilton before ending up in Italy via Aberdeen, the 26-year-old has forged his own career away from the family shadow.
However, he has struggled to earn a starting spot in Serie A in recent months.
This is despite a run captaining Bologna earlier this season.
This has caused speculation over a summer move to begin.
Rangers links resurface
There has been discussion amongst Rangers supporters about bringing him ‘home’ but Uncle Barry has dismissed that possibility due to the estimated price tag the Emilia-Romagna based side would place on Ferguson’s head.
They are believed to be expecting bids of up to €25m for the Accies youth graduate.
“I very much doubt it, just because if the simple fact of the transfer fee that he will be worth,” Barry said when asked if Rangers could be a destination for his nephew.
“He has been in and out of the team at Bologna this year.
“He plays in the Europa League games, but doesn’t really play in the league games, so you might see Lewis move on in the summer window.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think Rangers would be able to afford him.
“I would love to see him at Rangers one day, because I think Rangers missed out a number of years ago when he moved on to Bologna and as a family, we would love to see him put that Rangers strip on.”
Time to move on
Rangers may well have missed their moment with Ferguson, and the sooner that is accepted, the better the club’s recruitment strategy will become.
The romantic pull is obvious.
A player with the Ferguson name, proven in Serie A, entering his prime years, it fits a narrative that sells itself.
But narrative does not build squads.
The reality is far more straightforward, Ferguson is sadly operating in a different market bracket.
Even allowing for his reduced league minutes at Bologna , the valuation places him well beyond what Rangers can, or should, be considering.
Barry’s own admission effectively closes the door: this is not a deal that is realistically achievable.
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But the more important point is that it may not even be the right deal.
Under Danny Rohl, the emphasis is expected to shift toward profile-driven recruitment, players who fit a clearly defined tactical identity and can be sold on for a healthy profit rather than those who carry narrative appeal.
That typically means physicality, tactical intelligence and mobility.
The question is not whether he is a good player, he is, but whether he is the right player for the direction Rangers are trying to move in.
And that is where the link becomes counter-productive.
There is a tendency, particularly in Scottish football, to revisit “the one that got away.”
Markets move, player trajectories evolve, and, most importantly, managerial demands change.
Rangers are not in a position to chase sentiment-driven transfers at a premium price.
They need efficiency, alignment, and upside.
Every major outlay must serve a clear tactical purpose and fit within a broader squad architecture.
Ferguson, at this stage, represents neither value nor strategic alignment.
While the idea of bringing him “home” will continue to circulate, fuelled by family ties and supporter sentiment, it feels increasingly like a distraction from what actually matters.
The club’s focus should now be firmly on identifying players who match Rohl’s preferred profile, not those who simply fit the story.
Because this is not about what might have been.
It is about what comes next.
