A deal to drive McInnes to ensure Rangers’ best signing since Moore

Derek McInnes already looks the part as Glasgow Rangers manager, but now it’s down to business – can the Ibrox club give him a team capable of challenging again this season?

The 54-year-old has revealed that he will have the final say when it comes to signings this summer, making no secret that last year was not a success for the Glasgow side.

Transfer success stories can almost be counted on the other side in recent years, with young Mikey Moore one of the few to really exceed expectations in the past following his loan arrival from Tottenham Hotspur.

Whether the youngster returns this summer remains to be seen, although that is the kind of quality the Gers need to target.

McInnes who drives Rangers is the next deal after McCrorie

Andrew Cavenagh has promised a different approach to the market, between a switch to a Scottish or pro-Premiership bias when it comes to targets, and the Old Firm outfit are already delivering that.

Former Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland started things following his immediate arrival from Tynecastle, while McInnes has yet another meeting, as Ross McCrorie seals his Ibrox return.

The 28-year-old – who played under new Gers boss Aberdeen – leaves Bristol City with just a year left on his current deal, now taking up James Tavernier’s second shirt at Glasgow.

McInnes could also have a key say in a more marquee move, and TEAMtalk offers Rangers’ latest interest in bringing Lewis Ferguson back to Scotland.

According to the report, the Bologna man would be open to talks about a move to Ibrox, although it remains to be seen whether the Serie A side would be willing to sell, despite their interest in Nicolas Raskin.

Whether Ferguson is headed elsewhere remains to be seen, although McInnes is said to be ‘very keen on a reunion’, having also managed the 26-year-old at Pittodrie.

Why Ferguson could be Rangers’ best player since Moore

As already mentioned, the last term was not a great success in terms of recruitment, just a few arrivals who made a difference during a stable period.

The Gers’ Player of the Year, Emmanuel Fernandez, was one of them, although the aforementioned Moore was arguably the cream of the crop, rightly picking up the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award thanks to his fine form under Danny Rohl.

The 18-year-old overcame a slow start to score seven goals in the Premiership, two of which came in separate meetings at Celtic Park, disappointing many of his senior team-mates in 2026.

He is a brilliant talent, though so is Ferguson, the Scotland star who has played in Serie A and the Premiership throughout his career to date.

Released from Rangers as a teenager, the midfielder moved to Aberdeen briefly in Hamilton, where he went on to make 169 appearances for the Dons, while scoring and assisting 60 goals.

42 of those goal involvements came in 115 games under McInnes’ watch, and Ferguson quickly assumed a talismanic position at the club despite his young age.

It was a similar story at Bologna, although scoring and assisting just 21 goals in 115 games, the all-rounder went on to lead his side to Coppa Italia glory in 2025.

He was named Serie A midfielder of the year for 2023/24 and was hailed by Rome-based journalist Alasdair Mackenzie as “one of the biggest sensations in Serie A” that season.

In Mackenzie’s view too, Ferguson is “all round”, having operated as a number ten for his club, however, while stepping into a deeper role to fill in for the injured Billy Gilmour in his country.

It’s no secret that things haven’t gone well for Steve Clarke’s men in the United States, yet Ferguson has been one of the shining lights, dubbed Scotland’s ‘most influential player’ by BBC Sport’s Scott Mullen.

Bringing in that type of player could really have a huge impact on McInnes and his co-workers, with Rangers already reaping the rewards of signing pure quality from the likes of Moore last year.

Getting Ferguson in the door – like trying to sign Moore permanently – will be no easy task, however with Raskin on the way, this sounds like a no-brainer.