Bologna values captain Lewis Ferguson at €20M amid interest from Roma, Atalanta

Bologna has drawn a line in the sand for anyone hoping to prise away their captain. Lewis Ferguson, the 26-year-old Scottish midfielder who has become the heartbeat of the club, carries a price tag of at least €20 million, roughly $22 million at current exchange rates.

Both Roma and Atalanta have registered their interest in signing Ferguson, setting the stage for a potential bidding war between two clubs with very different ambitions but a shared appreciation for midfield quality.

The deal dynamics

Ferguson’s contract with Bologna runs through June 2028, which gives the Italian club significant leverage in any negotiations.

The midfielder arrived at Bologna from Aberdeen back in July 2022. In the years since, he’s evolved from a promising Scottish talent into a Serie A captain.

Interest from Roma and Atalanta has reportedly been building since January 2025, meaning this isn’t a sudden summer infatuation.

Adding another layer of intrigue, there have been discussions around a potential swap deal involving Ferguson and Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin. Raskin’s market value sits in a similar range, around €20 million, which theoretically makes a straight exchange feasible.

What Ferguson brings to the table

Born on August 24, 1999, Ferguson is entering what should be the prime years of his career.

His captaincy at Bologna speaks to something beyond statistics. Italian clubs don’t hand the armband to foreign players lightly, especially not to someone from Scotland who arrived from the Scottish Premiership.

What this means for investors watching football finance

There is no cryptocurrency angle, no token launch, no NFT collection tied to the transfer, and no blockchain-based transfer mechanism at play.

Bologna’s two-year contract buffer gives them pricing power. If Roma or Atalanta want Ferguson badly enough, they’ll need to meet the €20 million floor, or get creative with swap structures like the Raskin proposal to bridge the gap.

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