Lewis Ferguson linked with Juventus and AC Milan after £3m deal but Scotland is his priority right now

Midfielder’s first year in Italy has been a huge success.

Lewis Ferguson left Aberdeen for Bologna last summer determined to improve as a person and a footballer, aspiring to establish himself in the Scotland team as a more complete midfielder. Even he could not have envisaged how successful his first year in Serie A would be.

Beating Champions League finalists, scoring goals and being linked with Juventus and AC Milan are among the highlights for the 23-year-old from Hamilton. He is no stranger to the rewards of professional football given father, Derek, and uncle, Barry, both played for Rangers and Scotland.

The latest in the Ferguson footballing generation chain is now eager to take his Serie A form into the international arena. Scotland play two European Championship qualifiers in the coming days which will go a long way towards shaping their prospects of qualifying for next summer’s finals in Germany. Norway in Oslo on Saturday precedes Georgia at Hampden Park next Tuesday night.

Ferguson is eager to be involved but knows the calibre of competition for his position. Treble-winning Celtic captain Callum McGregor and Tartan Army talisman John McGinn are automatic first picks under national coach Steve Clarke. Then there is Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, scorer of both goals when Spain succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at Hampden in March.

Italy continues to help Ferguson develop and enhance his chances of adding to the six senior caps he currently holds. “I had options last year but I felt that when I spoke to the guys at Bologna, and was going to be playing in Serie A every week against top teams and training with good players, I knew I would improve,” he explained. “The football over there is different but you really do learn a lot and I’ve improved massively since I moved. Obviously, one of the big aims was to break into this team and the only way I can do that is by keep getting better. There is still more to come.

“When I moved to Aberdeen as a young boy I took myself out of my comfort zone. I got better as a result and then I felt I needed to move on. The full season has been good but the highlight was my goal against Sassuolo when I won goal of the month. The other highlight was beating Inter Milan before they reached the Champions League final.

“The end of the season was also brilliant. I scored with the last kick of the ball before the final whistle went. It has been a decent return. I was chasing Aaron [Hickey] to start with as I knew he scored five. I managed to get three in my last three games which was a good way to end the season.”

Lewis Ferguson is still waiting to fully establish himself in the Scotland midfield.

Reported interest from Milan and Juventus is taken in Ferguson’s stride. “It’s nice to hear and see, whether it’s online or in the newspaper, but genuinely it doesn’t affect me in any way. I don’t think too much about it,” he said. “I try to focus on what’s in front of me and while I’m here I’ll be fully focused on Scotland and when I go back over to Bologna it will be the same. Until something is actually for me, only then will it start to get into my mind a wee bit. As of now, it doesn’t really affect me.”

Aberdeen may be slightly more hyped by the prospect of the player transferring for a sizeable sum. They are set for a sell-on windfall from the £3million deal which took Ferguson to Bologna. The timing of that switch was ideal as Italian football undergoes something of a renaissance.

“I think so, It’s not yet back to where it was years ago but the standards are getting higher and there were Italian teams in all three European finals. Although they all lost, still getting there is an impressive thing to do. The league is definitely a top standard. It’s difficult to come up against these teams but that’s why I wanted to go over there, to come up against these guys and try to hold my own against them and keep improving.”

The super-charged emotion within Serie A reaches fever-pitch on a weekly basis, so it is therefore slightly strange hearing someone refer to Italy as a more relaxing environment. What Ferguson is able to do well is separate football from family life, and that helps give him contentment off the pitch. Those closest to him are also better off for the experience.

“For me, it’s just more chilled out. When the weather’s good and the food is good, then it’s always better,” he explained. “I’ve got a young family, so to be able to have them over there with me is brilliant. I’ve managed to travel to loads of places in Italy this season because we’ve been winning and the manager usually gives us a day or two off after a win.

“So I’ve managed to go and see some beautiful places and the lifestyle off the pitch is top notch. Rome is my favourite but I’ve been everywhere and they are all beautiful. My girlfriend has managed to get down to the Amalfi Coast and see the south of Italy. The place is incredible.

“You can see why so many people go on holiday, but it’s where I live now and where I work so I’m not over there for a holiday. In terms of the lifestyle off the pitch, it’s really nice.”