Lewis Ferguson sets lofty Serie A target for Scots following him as merely breaking Denis Law's record not enough
The former Aberdeen star is the league's highest scoring Scot but wants whoever tries to beast his tally to have a job on their hands.
Lewis Ferguson has already overtaken Denis Law’s Italian goal haul but plans to keep scoring to make sure his own Serie A record stands the test of time.
The Bologna midfielder hit his 11th goal in Italy’s top flight when he netted a late winner against Atalanta last month. It saw him move one clear as the top-scoring Scot in Italian top-flight football, ahead of the legendary Law who had held the previous record of 10 from his spell at Torino.
It has taken 62 years for the Lawman’s record to fall and now Ferguson wants to kick on and grab plenty more in his second full season at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. The 24-year-old, who returns from suspension against Cagliari on Sunday afternoon, knows he has an opportunity to put down a real marker for future Scots to aspire to. Ferguson said: “It is great to hold a record like that which was set by one of the real legends of the Scottish game in Denis Law.
“The record had stood for a long time. I’m just glad that I have managed to surpass his goalscoring record. It means a lot to me, it really does. It is a big thing for me and I want to set a new record that also stands the test of time. I want to score as many goals as I can for Bologna so it is going to be an even bigger challenge for the next Scottish player to beat.”
Ferguson is having a stellar season but is also being helped by his in-form Bologna side. He has become a central figure for Thiago Motta’s side and that has seen him linked with big-money moves to the likes of Juventus and Napoli. But it’s his Bologna role that is giving him plenty of goalscoring opportunities.
“The good thing is the team is doing well,” said the former Hamilton and Aberdeen midfielder. “We are playing well and creating chances so hopefully I should get a good few more chances to add to my goal tally before the end of the season. If I am being honest I should have broken the record a month before I did. We were playing Lecce and I had a great chance.
“A couple of weeks later we played Salernitana. I had an even better chance but their keeper made a great save. I was thinking: ‘Is this going to come?’ I then managed to score against Atalanta from the corner to win the game so it was a great feeling.”
The Rossoblu are currently sitting in fifth place behind big guns Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan and Fiorentina. Thoughts of a possible European return are now on the radar. "We are flying just now,” the former Dons ace said. “It is not even just the results because the way we have been playing has been great to be involved in and to watch.
“We’ve had some massive results and in a big week before Christmas we beat Roma, Inter away and Atalanta. Winning all three games has really given us a belief. A lot of people are talking about Bologna as the surprise package this season in Serie A.
“I have not been surprised because we have a good squad, a top-level coach who is a perfectionist and has got us playing some good stuff. The fans have been singing about playing in Europe.
“As a group we haven’t really mentioned but it is in the back of everybody’s heads. We know where we are.
“We are in a good position but the manager is keeping our feet on the ground and taking it game by game. We just have to keep doing that and in the meantime we will leave the fans to talk and dream about European football.”
Ferguson moved to Bologna from Pittodrie in the summer of 2022. He followed in the footsteps of Scotland team-mate Aaron Hickey, who is now at Brentford, and then took things on to another level. So much so that in recent weeks the midfielder has even been handed the captain’s armband.
Ferguson said: “Our club captain is Lorenzo De Silvestri. He got a bad injury and has been out and then Michel Aebischer got it and told me I would be vice-captain. I got the armband when he came off or when he missed games so it was good getting that responsibility. It is an honour to captain this group of players.”
A memorable season could get even better and Ferguson would love to cap success at Bologna by making Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for Euro 2024. Ferguson, who has recently started doing interviews in Italian, said: “I am happy with everything in Italy.
“I have learned so much, had some great experiences and got some big results against big teams. I have been playing every week and I feel it has made me a better player. My aim every day is just to improve.
“I feel I have done that in Italy and I just want to keep doing that. I want to finish the season strongly.
“There are also the Euro Championships in the summer and hopefully if I can do well enough for Bologna it can help push me into the Scotland squad for the finals. It is something every Scottish player wants to be involved in.”