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Rangers transfer push for Lewis Ferguson branded a 'waste of time' by dad in X-rated recruitment slapdown Derek Ferguson hasn't held back on Ibrox transfer chiefs after talks with his son this summer Lewis Ferguson's dad Derek insists Rangers pursuit of the Bologna star was a "waste of f****** time" due to midfielder's big-money price tag. Speculation has ramped up over Ferguson's future in recent months following a tough campaign for the captain - where he struggled for regular game time under Vincenzo Italiano after recovering from a nightmare cruciate ligament injury. Rangers have approached the Italian side over a deal, with the prospect of a player-plus-cash deal floated amid Bologna's interest in Connor Barron alongside a mega £17million deal. But new boss Domenico Tedesco appears to be keen on the 26-year-old - with his assistant Andrea Tarozzi has branding the playmaker "fundamental" to the club.. The Bologna skipper has made regular appearances in pre-season under Tedesco following a successful World Cup with Scotland - with Atalanta reportedly eyeing the player. Speaking to Open Goal, Ferguson Sr let rip on the recruitment chiefs - insisting the club have been "too slow" to get McInnes the players he wants in the door. He said: "See when he [Derek McInnes] got put in the position as manager, I thought 'are we going to be silky and great to watch? No, but we are going to win'. We will be organised, we will be physical, and we will be at it." Asked why that has not been the case: "Is it the personnel? Is it the recruitment? He has obviously wanted certain players in the door and I think he has not got them. "I think they are slow. Instead of just going to get them, they have not been able to do that. "Do you not get that feeling from him? That he has not got the players in that they have identified, quick enough, for him. "See that think with Lewis? Was that not a waste of f****** time? A waste of time, having the conversation and all that? "Because, they must have know the price - between €15million and €20million - Rangers can't go that far for a player. So why did they f****** go down that route? Hopefully that will happen somewhere down the line, but I thought that was a waste of time. "But I think he has had players in mind, and they have just been too slow to get them in." Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources . Click HERE. Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks. Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Celtic page, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Celtic community here.