Aug 29: Blackburn Rovers have verbally agreed with Rangers to sign Barry Ferguson. Rovers boss Graeme Souness was thought to have withdrawn his interest in the Rangers captain after having a third bid turned down on Thursday. But on Friday Blackburn announced the 25-year-old was set to move to Ewood Park for a fee thought to be £7.5m and Souness tipped him to be an instant success in the Premiership.
He told the club's official website: "He is 25, has been captain of Rangers and an international for a number of years, and I see him being an outstanding player for this club.
"I think the next five, six or seven years with Barry Ferguson in the Premier League, he will be regarded as one of the best central midfield players around.
"But he will come here with a lot to prove. There's a feeling in England that the Scottish league is not that competitive. But I can tell you that, after being there and playing for Glasgow Rangers, they never have an easy game of football."
Earlier Rovers chief executive John Williams announced the deal had been brokered with Rangers.

"At this stage, the agreement is only a verbal one with the club, but that's only because representatives from Rangers have been in Monaco for the Champions League draw."

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Blackburn are believed to be paying £6.5m to the Scottish champions immediately, and £1m in instalments.


Rovers are reported to be offering Ferguson a five-year deal worth about £35,000 a week.

McLeish hoped the honour of captaining his side in the Champions League for the first time would force a change of heart from the lifelong Rangers fan, who has made clear his desire to leave for the English Premiership having spent his whole career in Scotland.

"I need to have a chat with the directors first thing in the morning," said McLeish after the game in Copenhagen.

"When you are playing in a competition such as this, you need a certain type of player - and quite a lot of them as well."


Bureau Report