Now that Lewis Ferguson has confirmed the world’s worst-kept secret, Rangers signing Lewis Ferguson rests on one thing.

The Scotland international has been destined to join his boyhood club for a long time, but Rangers missed out when he left Aberdeen.

Since then he’s gone from strength to strength at Bologna and was subject of Serie A interest with Inter preparing a €22M bid one previous summer.

Rangers signing Ferguson

Now a Scottish international, Ferguson has confirmed that, yes, he wants to join Rangers. Of course he showed respect to his current employer, but that his destiny is Govan.

And the one thing it all rests on is Bologna playing ball with the transfer fee.

This summer Rangers proved the club’s spending power with an £18M swoop for both Kevin Kelsy, and Minsu Kim.

But to this day Tore Andre Flo remains the most expensive signing in Scottish history at £12M.

Even Kasper Hogh, Arnie Engels, Youssef Chermiti and Kelsy don’t surpass £11M.

Lewis Ferguson and his value

And Ferguson will cost well in excess of double that as far as present requirements from the Serie A side.

Rangers enquired some months ago at the very start of Derek McInnes’ tenure at Ibrox, and were told by Bologna what they required. The interest ended there.

Essentially Bologna want considerably over £20M for their star man and captain, and that’s numbers Rangers can’t justify for one player.

The club smashed a bunch of spending records this summer, shelling out around £40M on players. But £20M+ presents a gigantic outlay, and the only way this deal is currently happening is a part-exchange.

Nico Raskin has oft been mentioned as a straight swap, but Rangers’ owners are loathe to use their prize asset as a makeweight. There’s also zero interest from Bologna in Rangers’ Belgian international anyway.

Either way, Rangers want Ferguson, Ferguson and everyone else around him wants Rangers, and Bologna are prepared and willing to sell him to Rangers.

But only for the big money they want.

As such, any transfer is financially not going to happen unless Bologna shift their position. Ferguson has two years left on his deal and for now, his value will hold.

To get him, Rangers will have to play a long game.

It could be 18 months before Rangers signing Lewis Ferguson becomes realistic.