Rangers round-up: Top-flight club’s captain says Ibrox move will happen, & McInnes speaks to hierarchy on transfer

Lewis Ferguson has given Rangers supporters something to dream about. The Bologna captain, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, said a move to Ibrox is something he believes will eventually happen. His family history makes the comment land harder, since both his father and his uncle, Barry Ferguson, played for the club. Ferguson was heavily linked with a switch in the summer, but nothing materialised, and he stressed that his focus is on the present. He also said he wants to stay at Bologna for at least another year. That means nothing is imminent, but the long-term door looks wide open. (rangersreview) (rangersreview)

The timing is interesting because Derek McInnes knows the player well. McInnes worked with Ferguson at Aberdeen, and the midfielder’s profile fits the sort of technical, high-level recruit the manager says he wants to bring in. Ferguson’s praise for his current side also makes it clear that any deal would have to be right for everyone, and Bologna are unlikely to sell cheaply. (flashscore)

McInnes, meanwhile, is in a job where recruitment is under constant scrutiny. He arrived in the summer with the club’s backing, and the board stood by him even after a winless start to his reign. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh has been candid about the club’s business, admitting recruitment so far had been “clunky”, while insisting the club is working to strengthen the squad. That is the backdrop to any conversation McInnes has with the hierarchy about transfers, and it leaves little room for drift. The gap to Celtic is the measuring stick, and the manager needs a squad with enough depth and quality to close it. (beinsports) (worldfootballindex)

For now, Ferguson’s comments are a pleasant tease rather than a signal of anything concrete. Rangers’ priority is getting the current group right, and with a January window approaching, supporters will be watching closely to see how McInnes and the board turn their conversations into signings.