IBROX GOLDMINE: RANGERS DISCOVER STAR WORTH MORE THAN LEWIS FERGUSON AS RASKIN’S VALUE SOARS!
Rangers Football Club find themselves in the unusual and somewhat bittersweet position of simultaneously pursuing a homecoming reunion with one of the club’s most famous academy departures, while also sitting on a genuine transfer market goldmine in the shape of Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin. As speculation continues to build regarding a potential move to bring Lewis Ferguson back to Ibrox, the numbers now suggest that Rangers may already possess an even more valuable central midfield talent within their current ranks, one whose remarkable rise in value over the past few years tells its own fascinating story of shrewd recruitment.
The prospect of Lewis Ferguson returning to Rangers represents a genuinely emotive storyline for supporters, one rooted in family history that few professional footballers can claim. As the son of former Rangers player Derek Ferguson and nephew of ex-Ibrox captain Barry Ferguson, Lewis carries a bloodline connection to the club that has long fuelled hopes among the Ibrox faithful that he might one day return to represent the team his family has been so intertwined with.
That connection makes the story of his departure from Rangers all the more poignant. Ferguson actually came through the club’s own academy system as a youngster, only to be released by Rangers back in the summer of 2013, at just 14 years of age. That decision, made when Ferguson was still a teenager navigating the earliest stages of his football development, has since come to look like a significant misstep, given the player’s subsequent career trajectory and the level he has gone on to establish himself at in senior football.
Now, more than a decade on from that release, Rangers appear determined to correct what many supporters view as a genuine mistake, with reports suggesting the club has already opened formal talks with Bologna, Ferguson’s current employers in Serie A, regarding the possibility of bringing him back to Glasgow. It’s understood that the Italian club have already communicated their valuation and requirements for sanctioning a departure, meaning the ball now sits firmly in Rangers’ court as they weigh up whether to press ahead and meet those demands.
## ⚽ FERGUSON’S CREDENTIALS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
From a purely footballing perspective, the case for Rangers pursuing a reunion with Ferguson is compelling. The Scotland international has made well over 100 appearances in Serie A during his time with Bologna, establishing himself as a firm fixture within one of Europe’s most competitive and tactically demanding top-flight leagues. Adding further weight to his growing reputation, Ferguson also recently featured for Scotland at this summer’s World Cup, offering further evidence of the level he has reached within the international game.
Currently valued at £12 million by Transfermarkt, Ferguson sits second on the list of most valuable former Rangers academy graduates, trailing only Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour, whose own valuation stands at £17 million. Rounding out that particular list are Nathan Patterson at £8.5 million, Robbie Ure at £4.3 million, and Greg Taylor at £3.4 million, underlining just how productive the Ibrox academy system has proven to be in producing talent that has gone on to command significant value elsewhere in the game, even when that talent wasn’t always retained by the club itself.
## 🎖️ THE LEADERSHIP DIMENSION
Beyond the obvious statistical and reputational case for signing Ferguson, there exists a somewhat less discussed but equally compelling reason why the midfielder could represent such a valuable addition to Derek McInnes’s squad: his considerable leadership qualities. At just 26 years of age, Ferguson has already established himself as club captain at Bologna, having worn the armband for the Italian side consistently since the 2024/25 campaign began.
That leadership dimension takes on particular significance given Rangers’ current situation regarding the captaincy. With James Tavernier having departed the club on a free transfer at the end of last month following the expiration of his contract, McInnes and his coaching staff now face the task of identifying a suitable new leader to take on the responsibility of captaining the side moving forward.
Given Ferguson’s natural and deeply personal connection to Rangers through his family history, combined with his proven leadership credentials already demonstrated at a genuinely competitive level within one of Europe’s major leagues, there’s a strong argument to be made that he represents an almost perfect candidate to eventually assume the captaincy at Ibrox, should a transfer ultimately be completed. Of course, such considerations remain entirely secondary to the more immediate and pressing challenge facing Rangers: successfully agreeing terms with Bologna to actually bring the midfielder back to Scotland in the first place, before any conversation regarding the captaincy could realistically take place.
## 💎 THE UNEXPECTED GOLDMINE: RASKIN’S REMARKABLE RISE
While the Ferguson storyline continues to generate considerable excitement and speculation among Rangers supporters, an equally fascinating, and arguably even more remarkable, transfer story has been quietly unfolding within the club’s existing squad. Back in January 2023, Rangers moved to sign Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin from Standard Liege for what now looks like an extraordinarily modest fee of just £1.5 million, strengthening then-manager Michael Beale’s squad alongside the same-window arrival of Todd Cantwell from Norwich City.
In the years since completing that relatively low-key transfer, Raskin has gone on to establish himself as a genuinely key and influential figure within the Rangers midfield, contributing an impressive 13 goals and 23 assists across 145 total appearances in all competitions for the Ibrox club. Remarkably, throughout that period, Raskin has continued to perform at a consistently high level regardless of which manager has been in charge, having featured under no fewer than five different Rangers bosses in Michael Beale, Philippe Clement, Barry Ferguson, Russell Martin, and now Danny Rohl’s successor Derek McInnes.
That kind of sustained excellence and consistency across multiple different managerial regimes speaks volumes about Raskin’s professionalism, adaptability, and underlying quality as a footballer, qualities that have seen his stock rise dramatically since his initial arrival at Ibrox for such a comparatively modest outlay.
## 🌍 CURRENT WORLD CUP INVOLVEMENT
Raskin’s rise to prominence extends beyond simply his club form, with the Belgian midfielder currently involved in this summer’s World Cup tournament as part of Rudi Garcia’s Belgium squad, who have progressed through to the competition’s last 16 stage. However, it’s understood that Raskin has largely found himself deployed as a substitute option at international level so far during the tournament, making just four total appearances, only one of which came as a starter.
His underlying statistics from those World Cup appearances nonetheless paint a picture of a player still contributing effectively even from a more limited role, having created two big chances and registered one assist across his four appearances, while also maintaining a solid 85% pass accuracy rate. His duelling statistics further underline his physical competitiveness, with a 55% success rate in ground duels and an even more impressive 57% success rate when contesting aerial duels, numbers that speak to a genuinely well-rounded and combative central midfielder capable of contributing across multiple facets of the game.
While Raskin’s role as a squad player rather than a guaranteed starter for Belgium might initially seem to somewhat undercut the broader narrative regarding his rising value and importance, it’s worth remembering that Belgium themselves possess considerable strength and depth throughout their midfield options at international level, meaning even squad rotation status with a nation of that calibre still represents a considerable marker of quality and respect.
## 🏆 RECOGNITION AT CLUB LEVEL
Whatever role Raskin may currently occupy within Belgium’s broader international setup, there can be no disputing his standing and importance specifically within the Rangers first-team picture. The midfielder’s excellent form for the Ibrox club was formally recognised during the 2024/25 campaign, when he was named as Rangers’ Player of the Year, a considerable individual honour that underlines just how central he has become to the team’s overall performance and identity during his time at the club.
Winning such a prestigious individual award, voted for by supporters and reflecting sustained excellence across an entire campaign, represents about as clear an indication as possible that Raskin has firmly established himself as one of the standout performers within the current Rangers squad, rather than simply representing a useful squad option or squad depth signing from his original modest transfer fee.
## 💰 A REMARKABLE VALUATION SURGE
Perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of Raskin’s Rangers story relates to the astonishing rise in his market valuation since his original arrival from Standard Liege. Having been signed for a fee of just £1.5 million back in January 2023, Raskin’s underlying quality and consistent performances have seen his value soar dramatically, with reports now suggesting Rangers would demand a fee in the region of £20 million to sanction his departure, should any interested party wish to test the club’s resolve.
That represents an increase in value of some £18.5 million in less than four years, a truly remarkable transformation that underlines just how significant a piece of recruitment business this particular signing has proven to be for Rangers. Few transfers completed by any club across Europe in recent seasons can boast quite such a dramatic and rapid escalation in overall value, and it stands as a genuine testament to both Raskin’s own individual development and the astute scouting and recruitment work carried out by Rangers at the time of his original signing.
## 📊 OUTVALUING FERGUSON HIMSELF
Given that current £20 million valuation being placed on Raskin, it becomes clear that the Belgian midfielder is now considered to be worth some £8 million more than Lewis Ferguson, the very player Rangers are simultaneously attempting to bring back to Ibrox. That comparison offers a genuinely fascinating perspective on the broader situation, suggesting that, at least in pure financial terms, Rangers may already possess an even bigger individual talent within their current ranks than the player generating so much excited transfer speculation.
Given that stark valuation gap, there’s a compelling argument to be made that losing Raskin, should his suitors ultimately meet Rangers’ asking price, would represent a considerably more significant blow to the club than missing out on Ferguson, purely when assessed through the lens of raw footballing quality and market value. That said, as with the earlier discussion surrounding Ferguson’s specific leadership qualities and family connection to the club, there are clearly other important factors beyond pure market valuation that need to be weighed when assessing which player ultimately offers the greater overall benefit to Rangers moving forward.
## 🇪🇸 REAL BETIS CIRCLE RASKIN’S SIGNATURE
Adding further intrigue to Raskin’s situation is the reported interest emerging from Spanish La Liga side Real Betis, who are understood to be among the clubs monitoring the Belgian midfielder’s situation as the summer transfer window continues to progress. Given the calibre of interest developing around his services, it appears increasingly likely that Rangers could find their resolve regarding Raskin’s future genuinely tested before the window eventually closes.
Should Real Betis or another interested party ultimately be willing to meet Rangers’ reported £20 million asking price, the Ibrox club would find themselves facing a genuinely difficult decision regarding whether to cash in on what would represent an extraordinary financial return on their original investment, or whether to instead prioritise retaining a player who has proven himself to be such a consistently excellent and influential performer across multiple different managerial regimes.
## ⚖️ WEIGHING UP A POTENTIAL RASKIN-FOR-FERGUSON SWAP
Interestingly, the confluence of these two separate transfer situations, Rangers’ pursuit of Ferguson alongside genuine external interest in Raskin, raises an intriguing possibility regarding how the club might ultimately choose to navigate both situations simultaneously. Should Rangers decide to sanction Raskin’s departure for a fee in the region of £20 million, that substantial financial windfall could realistically help fund, at least in part, any subsequent move to bring Ferguson back to Ibrox from Bologna.
Viewed through that particular lens, selling Raskin in order to facilitate re-signing Ferguson could actually represent sound long-term business for Rangers, even accounting for the undeniable individual quality and consistency that Raskin has demonstrated since his original arrival at the club. While Ferguson may currently carry a lower individual market valuation than his Belgian counterpart, the additional off-field value he would bring through his leadership qualities, captaincy potential, and deeply personal connection to the club, could arguably help offset any pure footballing quality gap between the two players.
## 🧩 THE BROADER CONTEXT OF RANGERS’ MIDFIELD PLANNING
These two intertwined transfer situations need to be considered within the broader context of Rangers’ overall midfield planning and squad-building strategy this summer. Having already been notably active in strengthening other areas of the pitch, including significant investment in defensive and goalkeeping positions, the futures of both Ferguson and Raskin represent potentially the most significant and consequential midfield decisions still to be resolved before the transfer window eventually closes.
Given the scale of transfer fees potentially involved in both situations, either bringing Ferguson back to Ibrox or sanctioning Raskin’s departure to Real Betis or another interested suitor, it’s clear that however these particular sagas ultimately resolve themselves, the financial and footballing implications for Rangers’ broader squad-building strategy this summer could prove genuinely significant.
## 🔮 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
As both of these fascinating transfer stories continue to develop in parallel, Rangers supporters will be watching closely to see how the club’s hierarchy ultimately choose to navigate what represents a genuinely complex and multi-layered midfield situation. Whether that means pursuing both a Ferguson arrival and Raskin’s continued retention simultaneously, or instead using any potential Raskin sale to help fund and facilitate a return for Ferguson, the coming weeks promise to bring considerable clarity to what has already proven to be one of the more intriguing subplots of this summer’s broader transfer window.
For Ferguson himself, the prospect of returning to the club his family has been
