Ferguson won’t be joining the Ibrox clear-out, say Rangers

RANGERS chairman John McClelland has warned other clubs that captain Barry Ferguson will not be joining the list of Ibrox departures.

Aston Villa are the latest club to be linked with the Scotland international where new manager David O’Leary is already a keen fan of the midfielder from his days as Leeds boss.

Ferguson has only recently signed a new deal at Ibrox which will keep him at the club until 2006 after leading the team to the domestic treble this season despite losses of £52million being posted last September.

Claudio Caniggia and Arthur Numan have already left while Lorenzo Amoruso, Bert Konterman and Mikel Arteta are expected to depart this summer as the club attempts to balance its books.

Forward Michael Mols has agreed a new one-year deal and Porto striker Nuno Capucho will have further talks with the club this week. But McClelland is adamant that Ferguson will not be joining the departure queue.

“Barry is the cornerstone of our team as well as being our captain. He is a player who is not only valued by the club but also by our fans. He is simply not for sale and is fully committed to a long career at Rangers Football Club,” Ferguson said.

Mols has finally agreed a deal after the Dutch forward looked to have stalled on an offer from the Ibrox club. Rangers director of football business Martin Bain believes the signing of Mols will be a huge bonus to the club’s Champions League hopes.

Mols had been linked with a move back to Holland and Leicester City in the English Premiership this summer. The former Utrecht man became a fans’ favourite following his move to Ibrox in 1999 under Dick Advocaat.

But, after a blistering start to his Ibrox career with 13 goals in his opening four months with the club, he suffered a serious cruciate knee injury He re-discovered his touch this season under Alex McLeish with vital strikes throughout the campaign.