Lewis Ferguson is one of the most exciting young talents in Scotland (Getty Images)
Back in June, a report from the Daily Record had claimed that Rangers were deeply interested in signing Lewis Ferguson from domestic rivals Aberdeen. However, those rumours eventually came to nothing, with the 21-year-old staying put at Pittodrie.
Lewis Ferguson started his footballing education at Rangers before completing his development in Hamilton Academical’s youth system. The midfielder was promoted to Hamilton’s first-team after impressing for the U-20 side and made his senior debut in the Scottish Premiership during the 2017-18 season.
The youngster was signed by Aberdeen a year later and Ferguson has since gone on to carve out a massive reputation for himself as one of the best rising talents in the Scottish Premiership. The 21-year-old has amassed an impressive tally of 20 goals and 18 assists in 96 appearances for the Dons in all competitions so far.
Ferguson has represented Scotland at U-19, U-20, and U-21 levels but is yet to make his senior international debut for his nation.
Rangers signed Bongani Zungu on a season-long loan deal from French club Amiens before the summer deadline after failing to complete a move for Preston North End star Daniel Johnson. The South African has been roped in with a view to provide Steven Gerrard with some additional cover in the midfield but is yet to make his debut for the Gers.
The Ibrox giants do have an option to turn Zungu’s loan deal into a permanent transfer next summer but that would depend on whether he manages to make a real impact in the coming months. That’s certainly not going to be easy considering that Rangers already have accomplished players like Ryan Jack, Steven Davis, Joe Aribo, Glen Kamara, and Scott Arfield competing for places in Gerrard’s three-man midfield.
Regardless of what the future holds for Zungu, Rangers shouldn’t hesitate to scout better players in the market. The South African international is already 28 and doesn’t really have an exciting profile, having faced relegation with Amiens in France last season. With Rangers already strong in the midfield department, Gerrard should take time and weigh up his options carefully.
To put things into perspective, Rangers should ideally bring in a talented young midfielder with one eye on the future. Reigniting interest in Lewis Ferguson would make a lot of sense in footballing terms. The Aberdeen starlet has firmly established himself as one of the best box-to-box operators in Scottish football and is only going to get better with time.
With Steven Davis nearing his twilight at 35 and Glen Kamara continuing to attract interest from the Premier League, Rangers should look to groom a top young prospect like Ferguson to take over the reins at Ibrox moving forward. For someone so young, the 21-year-old already has a lot of experience under his belt, having made more than 100 club career appearances so far.
As evident from his heat map this season, Ferguson complements his ability to score and create goals with his uncompromised work-rate. The youngster is capable of making a significant contribution at both ends of the pitch and one would expect him to add a lot more to his repertoire moving forward.
Lewis’ father Derek Ferguson and uncle Barry Ferguson both enjoyed long and illustrious careers at Ibrox in the past decades. Regardless of his family history at Rangers, however, the Aberdeen star would still fit the bill as an excellent long-term signing for Gerrard’s side.
The 21-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring 8 goals and 2 assists in 12 appearances, which pretty much sums up the level at which he is playing now. Hence, the Gers should definitely go all out in their pursuit of the Scottish prodigy in January.