Lewis Ferguson says Bologna exit was never close despite Rangers dream

Lewis Ferguson says he was never close to leaving Bologna this summer despite reports linking him with Rangers. The Scotland midfielder told BBC Sport Scotland that playing for the club he supported as a child remains a dream, but he is continuing his career at Bologna. His comments distinguish a possible future return to Rangers from any suggestion that a move was imminent this summer.

Asked about the links, Ferguson said he had taken time to consider his future after the World Cup. ‘I had a long think after the World Cup about my future and I was a little bit unsure but nothing was ever that close,’ he told the BBC. His account describes uncertainty about what he wanted to do, rather than a transfer that had reached its final stages. The BBC interview does not establish that Rangers made a formal bid or that the clubs negotiated.

A future possibility, a present commitment

Ferguson said his return to Bologna for pre-season brought a fresh start under Domenico Tedesco. The club has since changed managers again, appointing Raffaele Palladino. Ferguson also referred to a change of manager with Scotland when describing a period of considerable change around him. After weighing his options, he said, ‘in the end it was still at Bologna.’

He spoke warmly about the club where he has played since 2022. ‘I've loved every moment that I've had there,’ Ferguson told the BBC. ‘It was just about continuing that journey and seeing where it takes me.’ His comments give no timetable for a departure and do not present a return to Scotland as an agreed next step.

How he reached Bologna

Ferguson’s route to Serie A did not begin with a place in Rangers’ senior side. The BBC reported that Rangers released him when he was 14. He went on to play for Hamilton Academical and Aberdeen before moving to Italy in 2022. Rangers manager Derek McInnes, who previously worked with Ferguson at Aberdeen, described an ‘obvious link’ between the player and Rangers in July, according to the BBC. That history helps explain the interest in his future, but Ferguson’s latest comments give no indication of an imminent move.

His father, Derek Ferguson, and uncle, Barry Ferguson, both played for Rangers. Barry also captained the team and later managed it, the BBC reported. Those family ties form part of Ferguson’s explanation of why Rangers have remained on his mind. They do not change his stated position that he is a Bologna player and does not want to discuss a transfer while he is there.

At Bologna, Ferguson has held the captaincy since 2023. The BBC reported that he led the club to its first Coppa Italia triumph in more than 50 years in 2025. His place in the side had become less secure last season under Vincenzo Italiano, when he made 17 league starts. That contrast is relevant to why he considered his future over the summer, although Ferguson did not say that a Rangers move was close to completion.

His current season

Ferguson’s involvement at the start of the new Serie A season has been much steadier. At the time of its interview, the BBC said the 27-year-old had played every minute of Bologna’s first five league matches. It also reported that his contract runs until 2028, with an option for a further year. Those are the present terms of his Bologna career as reported by the BBC; Ferguson’s remarks do not establish how long he will ultimately stay.

Bologna also named Ferguson in its 19 September announcement of 11 players called up for international duty. The club listed Scotland fixtures against Slovenia on 26 September and Switzerland on 29 September among his scheduled matches. The announcement independently places him among Bologna’s players preparing to represent their countries during the international period. It makes no claim about the reported Rangers interest.