Revealed: Former Rangers Boss' Efforts Behind Signing Free Agent Dan Neil

According to a report by the Daily Record, Barry Ferguson is being considered as a key architect behind the transfer approach which brought midfielder Dan Neil to the club. The 24-year-old spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan at Championship side Ipswich Town, where he became a free agent at the end of his spell. He was originally owned by Sunderland, who refused to retain him for the future. 

On 1 July 2026, Neil signed for Rangers on a three-year contract and has played a major role in the Old Firm derbies he has been a part of. On 13 September 2026, the Englishman scored his first goals for the club, netting a brace against rivals Celtic in the quarter final of the Scottish League Cup. 

Neil wore the captain's armband in the League Cup derby and delivered a strong performance in the next Old Firm clash, helping Rangers win by a one-goal margin over The Bhoys. Both of these results helped the Gers gain momentum and the support of the fans, while reducing the gap on the Scottish Premiership table with league leaders Celtic to just two points. 

The back-to-back derby wins helped Neil overturn the opinion of his critics after a slow start to life at Rangers. Manager Derek McInnes also won approval from fans and pundits alike for continued momentum for the season. 

It was Ferguson's job as club ambassador to convince Neil to leave the Tyneside club for an Ibrox swap. He thought his job was complete when the then-Sunderland man decided to accept the move to Glasgow. 

Elsewhere, former Rangers coach and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard showed his appreciation and respect for veteran midfielder Ryan Jack. According to an earlier report by Roundtable, Jack has been training at Auchenhowie to stay fit while searching for a new club after becoming a free agent following the end of his contract with Turkish side Esenler Erokspor. 

Gerrard commented on an Instagram post citing the 34-year-old's presence at the Scottish club's training facilities. He suggested that Rangers could sign him on a free since he is a "proper player". 

Jack played under Gerrard during his managerial spell at the Gers, winning one trophy. He also featured under McInnes when he was at Aberdeen. The midfielder remains committed to continuing his professional career and is using Auchenhowie facilities for personal fitness purposes. However, Rangers have no plans to sign him.