Rangers Miss Out on Ferguson as Celtic's Transfer Strategy Shines
Lewis Ferguson, according to his father, was ready. Rangers, it seems, were not.
Derek Ferguson has revealed that the Scotland midfielder had agreed to join Rangers this summer, only for the Ibrox club to stall and ultimately fail to submit a bid to Bologna. With no offer on the table, the 27-year-old stayed in Serie A and his father now doubts any prospect of the move being revived in January.
For a club under pressure to refresh and inject proven quality, it is a revelation that will sting. An international midfielder, open to returning home, with a pathway cleared – and Rangers never tested Bologna’s resolve.
Raskin’s price, Souttar’s future
The Lewis Ferguson story lands in the same week as another reminder of Rangers’ fragile transfer tightrope.
Besiktas sounded out a move for Nicolas Raskin but walked away when confronted with the £20m fee Rangers were working from. That figure proved too steep for the Turkish side and the 25-year-old Belgian remains in Glasgow. Manager Derek McInnes has made it clear what comes next for the midfielder: park the speculation, play well, and try to earn that big-money move in January.
John Souttar’s situation remains another unresolved thread. A transfer away from Ibrox failed to materialise for the 29-year-old Scotland centre-half and McInnes has promised to outline more on his future early next week. For now, Souttar sits in limbo, his next step still opaque as the season beds in.
Celtic push hard, then hold their line
Across the city, Celtic’s window has drawn its own scrutiny, but the numbers tell a different story of intent.
The champions were ready to go to around £9m for Gvidas Gineitis, a serious outlay for a 22-year-old. Torino, though, set their valuation closer to £13m. That gap proved too wide, and head coach Ignacio Abate is delighted to keep the Lithuania international in Turin.
Celtic still moved aggressively in other areas, yet not everyone is convinced by the detail of their planning. Former striker Chris Sutton has questioned the decision to bring in Landon Emenalo on loan from Chelsea as cover for Kieran Tierney. The 18-year-old left-back has yet to play a senior game for the London club, and Sutton finds it baffling that Celtic overlooked domestic options such as Dundee United’s Will Ferry, Motherwell’s Emmanuel Longelo and PAOK’s Greg Taylor.
The debate over profile versus readiness will follow Emenalo until he proves he can handle the demands of the Scottish champions.
Strachan’s verdict on Celtic recruitment
Gordon Strachan, though, sees the bigger picture in green and white.
The former Celtic manager has described the club’s recruitment as “phenomenal”, pushing back against criticism of the board’s transfer business. While some supporters have questioned specific deals and missed targets, Strachan’s assessment underlines a belief that the overall strategy remains strong and that Celtic’s squad has been significantly strengthened.
It is a sharp contrast to the mood around Ibrox, where missed opportunities and stalled exits dominate the conversation.
Evans on the radar
Away from the Old Firm, another Scot could soon be on the move.
Steve Evans, the 63-year-old currently in charge of Bristol Rovers, is attracting interest from both Hibernian and Preston North End. Both clubs are monitoring his situation as they weigh up their managerial options, with Evans’ name firmly on the radar should either decide to make a change.
From Ferguson’s aborted return to Glasgow to Celtic’s bold bids and Evans’ growing appeal, the market may have closed – but the next window already feels like it’s looming large over the Scottish game.
