Barry Ferguson to wave goodbye with permanent Rangers exit ready
Rangers interim boss Barry Ferguson has already strengthened his case to become the next permanent manager at Ibrox.
He has successfully guided the Bears to the Europa League quarter-finals via a penalty shootout win over Fenerbahce in the last 16.
The Light Blues supporters were subsequently left delighted on 16 March when Ferguson also steered their side to a 3-2 away win over bitter rivals Celtic.
If Ferguson continues his positive momentum in the Ibrox dugout, he could agree on permanent terms, but will have plenty of work to do in the summer transfer window.
Birmingham could agree a permanent deal for Kieran Dowell
If Ferguson is handed the managerial reins permanently at Ibrox, his priority over the summer will be to address the gap between the Light Blues and rivals Celtic.
| Kieran Dowell Birmingham stats | League One 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 11 |
| Goals | 3 |
| Assists | 0 |
One exit he could facilitate is that of attacking midfielder Kieran Dowell, who scored just twice in 32 senior appearances for the Gers before joining Birmingham on loan last summer.
Dowell has scored two goals in his last three Birmingham games, while Lee Hendrie has urged the English third-tier side to snap up his services on a permanent deal at the end of the season.
Ferguson’s time with Rangers could outlast Dowell’s
Exciting times are on the horizon at Ibrox, with 49ers Enterprises set to complete their takeover soon.
Ferguson’s exploits in the Rangers dugout may have already impressed the club’s prospective owners, while the club are now just a matter of 180 minutes away from the Europa League semi-finals.
But, Dowell’s time in Glasgow could be set to come to an end, as this summer presents the Ibrox outfit with the last opportunity to cash in on his services.
Since moving to St Andrew’s in January, Dowell has become an increasingly important figure in a Birmingham side who are closing in on an immediate return to the Championship.
Chris Davies’ men could be keen to retain the former Norwich man as they look to make a mark on the second-tier next season.
But Dowell was never able to make a positive mark for Rangers before making the switch to Birmingham in January, meaning that Ferguson could well be set for a longer Ibrox stay than that of the 27-year-old who joined the club in 2023.