A Rangers captain who lifted three trophies believes there are 60 million compelling reasons for his former club to embrace the backing of a US-based consortium.
The celebrated ex-midfielder is eager to see Rangers regain their edge and views the group’s connection to the San Francisco 49ers as a vital step in narrowing the divide with Celtic.
With a £100 million price tag on the table for acquiring shares in the Ibrox outfit, Ferguson sees it as a bargain when weighed against the consortium’s worldwide reach and influence.
He told the Daily Record: “This is at a time when Celtic have just pocketed £60m from one season in the Champions League. The accounts don’t lie.
“They are miles and miles ahead in terms of being cash rich. That’s why it’s so important that Rangers find a way to level the playing field and, by teaming up with a global sporting giant like the 49ers, they might just be able to do it.
“People might ask why an NFL club would be considering getting involved in Scottish football. But I’d take a different view. I’d ask this question, ‘Why wouldn’t they?’. I’ve been waiting for someone to make a move like this for a long time now because it seems obvious to me that Rangers are actually a great investment opportunity.
“Let’s face it, they’re available for a relative snip when you consider how much it would cost to buy a team in the top leagues of England, Spain, Italy or Germany. And, unlike all of the clubs in these countries, Rangers are as good as guaranteed European football season after season. Yes, right now it’s in the Europa League but, even so, Rangers have banked in the region of £18m from that competition this season and that’s a significant amount of cash in anyone’s books.
“So if the right people put the right plan in place to return the club to No.1 spot in Scottish football, the opportunities are massive. And I’m pretty sure that’ll be the motivation behind this potential buyout. Which can only be good news for Rangers. If this deal goes through then the first priority will be to win back the domestic title because that’s what the whole business model will be based on.
“If any investor wants to maximise their returns, it means getting into the Champions League. And that means knocking Celtic off their perch. That’s certainly music to my ears and I’m pretty sure almost all my fellow fans out there will be feeling the same way. It’s time to Make Rangers Great Again. Let’s hope these are the people who really can make it happen.”
