'I see myself in the Premier League' says Bologna's rising star Lewis Ferguson
Italian football hasn't exactly rhymed with Scottish players historically. In the 1980s, former Leeds star Joe Jordan had the dubious honour of experiencing relegation with otherwise mighty AC Milan and Manchester United hero Denis Law never had much of a stay at Torino, where he spent a single season in the early 60s.
Although Graeme Souness enjoyed some success at Sampdoria in the mid-80s, where the Liverpool legend scored a goal to help secure a Coppa Italia victory, there is little doubt that Bologna's Lewis Ferguson is the most successful Scot in Italian football to date.
The midfielder, who was born and raised in Hamilton, south-east of Glasgow, is in his second season at the Italian club, and it's as both captain and the club's biggest name.
In a short space of time, the Scot, who is also a regular in the national team, has learned to speak Italian, famously taken over the captain's armband, and perhaps Ferguson could soon set his sights on an even bigger Italian destination, as Juventus are reportedly eyeing him as a replacement for Paul Pogba.
Or maybe it will be another season at Bologna for Ferguson, as Thiago Motta's well-oiled side have taken Serie A by storm and are currently in line for a sensational finish in fourth, which will give them access to European football next season.
"I'm happy in Bologna. It was right to trust Aaron Hickey's recommendation to sign with the club. However, at some unspecified point in the future, I see myself in the Premier League," the Scotsman told The National.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ferguson also reveals that he consulted his compatriot Aaron Hickey, who spent two seasons at Bologna before moving to Brentford in the English top flight in the summer of 2022.
Should Juventus pursue Ferguson, however, it will hardly be a cheap solution, because with a contract until 2027, possibly Champions League football on the agenda at Bologna, and a steadily increasing market value due to his good performance, Bologna will probably do everything possible to keep Ferguson.
"I always give Ferguson 10 out of 10, not only because of the important goals he scores but also because he is a warrior who sets the standard for his team-mates," Motta said of Ferguson, as per the Daily Record.
So far this season, the hard-working Scot has totted up six goals and four assists in 30 Serie A games, and together with former Bayern Munich star Joshua Zirkzee, he has made a name for himself at an excellent Bologna side.
Whether it will be Champions League football with Bologna after the summer break, whether Ferguson travels to Turin to join Juventus, or whether the Scot chooses to return to the British Isles and play Premier League football remains to be seen.
However, should Ferguson soon be a thing of the past in Italy, the dynamo will undoubtedly be able to offer recommendations, similar to the one he himself received from Aaron Hickey, to compatriots considering a move to Italy.
