Bargain transfer and tactical key: Scotland international Ferguson contributes to Bologna’s UCL dream

Scotland international Lewis Ferguson has been a key player for Bologna this season, having started 29 games from 30 and collecting six goals and four assists and contributing to the Rossoblu’s Champions League dreams.

Page 22 of Thursday’s printed edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport heaps praise on Scotland international Ferguson ahead of Bologna’s Serie A game against Frosinone on Sunday.

Ferguson has started 29 Serie A games from 30 this season, missing one match due to suspension. He has six goals and four assists in Serie A this term and has been a key player for Thiago Motta.

The Italian tactician has deployed Ferguson in multiple midfield roles this season: attacking midfielder, box-to-box midfielder (Mezzala, as we say in Italy) and even holding midfielder.

Ferguson joined Bologna for just €3.5m from Aberdeen in the summer of 2022 and according to Gazzetta, his transfer value is around €30m now.

He has already been linked with Milan and Juventus, but his main target for the remainder of the campaign remains to help Bologna earn a legendary qualification for the Champions League.

The Rossoblu fit fourth in the Serie A table, just two points below third-placed Juventus.

Bologna have qualified for a European competition only twice in their history. The first time in 1998-99, when a certain Roberto Baggio played at the Stadio Dall’Ara, and then in 2002-03.

Ferguson released an exclusive interview with Football Italia only a few weeks after extending his Bologna contract last summer.

“To get seven goals [in 2022-23] was excellent, as it’s a difficult league, there are so many good teams and good players,” he said.

“I think in the, modern day you need to have numbers to your game if you are a midfielder, especially as I have been playing in a more attacking position.

“You need to have a return, you can’t just perform and have no goals and no assists.

“It is something I have always thought about in my game. Even when I was in Scotland, I needed my numbers to be high.

“The most important thing is helping the team, it’s a really close-knit group and we are looking to kick on.”