Not exactly the summer that was hoped for for Glasgow Rangers' Scottish contingent, with Lawrence Shankland, John Souttar and co returning to Ibrox following that early World Cup exit.

It's difficult to know what to make of what occurred in the States, with there no shame in registering just three points from a group that contained both Brazil and Morocco, two nations who have already booked their place in the last-16.

And yet, it was the nature and manner of the final group game, in particular, that played its part in Steven Clarke's hasty resignation, with a third tournament in succession ending in disappointment for the Tartan Army.

If there was to be any positive note, it was the standout displays of Lewis Ferguson at the heart of the midfield, the 26-year-old only rubberstamping why he would represent a real coup for the Gers this summer.

Why Lewis Ferguson would be the dream summer transfer for Rangers

Derek McInnes, by all accounts, is desperately keen on a reunion with Ferguson, having previously coached the midfielder back at Aberdeen.

There have been whispers of a potential swap deal involving the Scotland international and Nicolas Raskin, with Ferguson's current side, Bologna, believed to be keen on Rangers' Belgian star.

Whether the Serie A outfit are inclined to sell or not remains to be seen, but that is a move that would surely suit all parties, with Ferguson looking terrific for Clarke's side in recent weeks.

While Scott McTominay and co faltered around him, the man who benefited from Billy Gilmour's cruel pre-tournament injury was such a stable presence in front of the back four, boasting a 93% pass accuracy rate across his three starts, while averaging 5.3 tackles and interceptions per game.

For comparison, while operating in a more advanced role, McTominay averaged just 89% and 0.7 for those same two metrics, respectively, with Scotland's shining light having not been the Serie A midfielder that was expected.

Back in Bologna, Ferguson notably captained his side to Coppa Italia glory in 2025, while also helping to secure Champions League qualification following a real breakout 2023/24 campaign.

You also have to look back at his record at Pittodrie as a youngster as further reason for excitement, the Hamilton-born gem scoring and assisting 60 goals in 169 games for the Dons.

He's a man in form but also a man with a wealth of experience behind him, ensuring that if McInnes can get a deal done, it could be the perfect way to shake up this Rangers midfield unit.

£4m Rangers man could be finished at Ibrox if Ferguson signs

After James Tavernier's free transfer exit, the headline departure from Ibrox this summer is likely to be Raskin, with Hull City also in the mix for his signature.

The 25-year-old won't be the only midfielder to be heading out the exit door by all accounts, however, with Rangers Review's Chris Jack previously outlining that Mo Diomande could also join Raskin and Jose Cifuentes in leaving Rangers for good.

Signed from Nordsjaelland on an initial loan, before joining permanently for a fee of around £4m, Diomande did actually enjoy a bright 2024/25 campaign.

Indeed, the left-footer scored and assisted 11 goals that season in the top-flight, while creating 11 'big chances', looking like a real rising star in an advanced midfield berth.

And yet, the Ivorian took a step backwards last term, having started just 20 Premiership games under Russell Martin and Danny Rohl, scoring and assisting just five goals and creating only four 'big chances'.

His influence particularly waned under the Rohl regime, while not exactly looking up to scratch when starting the final four games of the season, including the 3-1 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead.

Diomande was particularly poor in that crushing loss, the 24-year-old hooked on the hour mark having registered just 34 touches, while winning only three of his ten total duels.

A reported subject of interest from afar a year ago, Rangers may have to hope there is a market for their number ten again this time around, with Diomande doing little to suggest he warrants an extended stay in Glasgow.

With Tochi Chukwuani snapped up in January, and the prospect of Ferguson joining the party, McInnes could have the makings of a new midfield combination, ensuring Diomande might slip even further down the pecking order.

At a time when the Light Blues look to be undergoing seismic change, with a raft of incomings and outgoings on the cards, McInnes and co can't put faith in players, like Diomande, who haven't delivered consistently enough in recent years.

Going down the Premiership-proven route, such as with Ferguson's capture, might well be the safest bet instead.