Rangers strike rate in the transfer market has to start improving if Philippe Clement is to take the club to the level that he is capable of.
The manager has worked wonders with the squad at his disposal and with a lengthy injury list, so it is only fair to assume that, with better players, that success is just around the corner.
One player who seemed destined to sign for Rangers is Lewis Ferguson who, despite undergoing knee surgery that could see him miss the next year’s worth of football, has been recommended for a big move in Italy.
- READ MORE: 7 best Rangers loan signings of all-time
Rangers have to avoid repeat of Lewis Ferguson shambles
Juventus legend Alessio Tacchinardi, has been speaking about who he wants to see line up in his old team’s midfield and it is the former Auchenhowie kid that has seen his name dropped into the mix:
“The priority on the market? It depends on what the technical guidance will be. With Allegri’s 3-5-2, there’s no point in keeping Chiesa. But if you change formation or coach, then I think a quality playmaker or midfielder would be a necessity.
“I really like Koopmeiners and would get it. Just like Ferguson from Bologna, regardless of the injury. But in addition to one of my favorites: Luis Alberto. He makes the ball sing, he has personality.
“I would sacrifice Bremer and Locatelli, I would keep Vlahovic and Chiesa, as well as Rabiot and the young Soulé and Huijsen.”
Bologna currently sit four points clear in fifth place in Serie A and six from sixth with Italy getting five Champions League teams next season.
They aren’t quite over the line yet but Lewis Ferguson has been a key component in getting them into that position.
His debut season was impressive, however, this year he has gone to another level.
Rangers not signing Lewis Ferguson has been one of the biggest mistakes that the club has made in the last 10 years in terms of transfers.
He would have walked to Ibrox from Aberdeen to get the deal done but, bizarrely, as revealed by his agent earlier this season, there was never any concrete interest:
“I’ve got people who work for me in Italy and they’ve had a few enquiries. I reckon they’ll be looking for a minimum of £8m. Having said that, they sold Aaron Hickey for £20m and he only played 48 games for them.
“I think it will happen. He deserves it. He’s had to learn the language and a new culture and he’s done very well with that. He’s very professional. I’ve dealt with a lot of good players – a lot of duds too – but he’s in a class of his own.
“There was no contact from either Rangers or Celtic. I was even getting people who were involved at Ibrox, phoning me and asking: ‘Are you sure we’re not interested here?’ I don’t think a Scottish club will pay the money they’ll be looking for now.”
Rangers count the cost of ignoring Ferguson
Bill McMurdo is right, even at £8m, which is at the lower end of valuations that have been reported, Ferguson is too expensive for Rangers.
What is frustrating, is that Rangers had him in their academy, could have bought him when he was starring for Hamilton as a teenager and again when he became Aberdeen’s best player.
These are the decisions Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen have to get right, but days when we were competing with clubs like Juventus for players are long gone.
