Lewis Ferguson’s rise has been rapid, but it has mostly occurred outside of the eyes of the British public. However, the Scotland international’s form in Bologna has piqued the interest of a number of Premier League clubs, including Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Brentford, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. They are not alone in their interest, and the 24-year-old midfielder is expected to be at the center of a major transfer battle this summer.
According to Sky Sports, Napoli and Juventus are among the Italian clubs interested in signing Ferguson, the son of former Scotland striker Derek and nephew of Rangers and Blackburn Rovers midfielder Barry, following his consistently impressive performances in Bologna over the last two seasons, which have seen him score 13 goals and be promoted to club captain. The prospects of him staying in Emilia-Romagna next season appear small. But what kind of player is he, and what can he give his numerous suitors?
Ferguson was discharged from the Rangers academy at the age of 14, but he has made the Glasgow club regret that choice ever since. After finishing his academy development with Hamilton Academical, he moved to Aberdeen and established himself as a regular in the Scottish Premier League by the age of 19, finally earning a move to Italy for up to £3 million. At this time, it appears to be a really good deal.
Ferguson is nominally an offensive midfielder, and squad sheets usually show him as a number 10, but his role under manager Thiago Motta is much more fluid. In possession, he frequently drifts wide and cuts back in near the box, effectively playing as an inside forward, while off the ball, he exploits his excellent stamina and unwavering willingness to hunt down lost causes to return to deeper areas and serve as a defensive midfield shield.
In other words, he appears almost everywhere, can fill a number of positions depending on his team’s demands, and his heat maps display red blots all over the field of play. He’s a genuine do-it-all midfielder with the stamina to go the whole 90 minutes, despite his lack of top-tier speed.
