Rangers are expected to emerge stronger next season following the appointment of Derek McInnes, according to former Celtic and Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill, with optimism beginning to grow around Ibrox ahead of the new campaign.
Although McInnes narrowly missed out on the Scottish Premiership title with Hearts last season, he was rewarded with the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year award after guiding the club to an impressive campaign. Rangers will now hope he can inspire a similar turnaround after another disappointing season that ended without silverware, following unsuccessful spells under Russell Martin and Danny Rohl.
The Gers have already backed their new manager by bringing in familiar faces, with Lawrence Shankland and Ross McCrorie joining the club this summer. McInnes could now be reunited with another former player, Lewis Ferguson.
Ferguson return gathers momentum
McInnes previously worked with Ferguson during their time together at Aberdeen, where the midfielder established himself as one of Scotland’s brightest young talents. Across 115 appearances under McInnes, Ferguson contributed 42 goals and assists before earning a move to Italy.
Now 26, Ferguson’s future at Bologna is uncertain, and Rangers are monitoring the situation closely. The Serie A club are reportedly interested in signing Nicolas Raskin, with discussions believed to have taken place over the Belgian midfielder.
That has fuelled speculation that Ferguson could move in the opposite direction if Raskin leaves Ibrox. McInnes is understood to be eager to reunite with the Scotland international, while Ferguson is also said to be open to discussing a return to the Premiership. Whether Bologna are prepared to sanction a sale, however, remains unclear.
Rangers still tracking Scandinavian star
While Ferguson remains a key target, Rangers are also continuing their search for emerging European talent.
One player still firmly on their radar is Tromso midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl. The 20-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Ibrox during the January transfer window, and fresh reports suggest Rangers remain interested after holding discussions over a potential summer deal earlier this year.
Valued at around £9 million, Hjerto-Dahl represents a significant investment, but his performances in Norway suggest he could be worth the outlay.
The young midfielder has enjoyed an outstanding 2026 campaign, scoring five goals and providing two assists in just 12 league appearances despite operating primarily as a box-to-box midfielder. He also registered eight combined goals and assists during the 2025 season and has averaged 1.3 successful dribbles per game over the past two years.
By comparison, Ferguson managed just one goal and no assists in 22 Serie A appearances last season, while averaging only 0.1 successful dribbles per match. Raskin produced a respectable 13 combined goals and assists for Rangers, but averaged 0.8 successful dribbles per game.
Hjerto-Dahl has also impressed defensively, averaging 5.1 ball recoveries per match in 2026. Ferguson recorded 2.3 recoveries per game in Italy last season, while Raskin averaged 4.5 for Rangers.
Widely regarded as one of Norway’s brightest young prospects, Hjerto-Dahl is viewed by many as a future star with the potential to earn a major transfer in the coming years.
Although bringing Ferguson back to Ibrox would undoubtedly excite supporters, Rangers may ultimately decide that investing in a younger, high-upside talent like Hjerto-Dahl could prove to be the smarter long-term decision.
