Rangers star earns Lorenzo Amoruso comparison as Ibrox legend names overlooked fact about him

Rangers icon Barry Ferguson is reminded of his old teammate Lorenzo Amoruso when he watches Ibrox defender Emmanuel Fernandez in action.

The Nigerian centre back has been part of a solid Rangers defence for the most part this season, however he is prone to the occasional lapse in concentration, particularly with the ball at his feet. Ferguson is a big fan of the defender - but also claims he has a ‘heart-in-mouth’ moment every time he’s in possession.

The former skipper felt the exact same way about Amoruso - a figure he played alongside for nearly a decade between spells at Rangers and Blackburn Rovers. The Italian defender was a fan favourite during his six-year stint in Govan for his physical presence and aerial ability, however, he also wasn’t always the most comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Ferguson compares Fernandez to Ibrox hero

In Rangers’ last outing away to St Mirren at the Marbill Coaches Stadium, there were a few instances when Fernandez got rid of the ball when they were under the cosh. Ferguson watched on with a ‘wry’ smile as he then thought of other similarities between the defenders of old and new.

In his Daily Record column, he wrote: “Against Saints, every time the ball was played over his (Fernandez’) head or he found himself in a foot race with a forward, he made sure to get himself back, blooter the ball as far into the Main Stand as he could and then get ready to defend again.

“There’s a time to play and a time to clear your lines and to me, at the weekend there was evidence he’s now grasped which is which. In many ways he reminds me of Lorenzo Amoruso. Now Amo was a top player and Manny has a long way to go to reach his levels.

“However, there’s no denying there were occasions when my heart was in my mouth watching the big man at the back. But for every time he’d try to dribble out of defence and get caught or fire a 40-yard free-kick into the stand, there would be another dozen examples where his bravery in defence saved us. And like Manny, when he was alert and focused on the threats around him, that’s when you saw the best of Lorenzo.”

Ferguson names overlooked Fernandez fact

Since signing for Rangers from Peterborough in the summer of 2025, the defender has earned every title from ‘Rolls Royce’ to ‘bomb-scare’. At the age of 25, Fernandez has been criticised for not shrugging inconsistencies from his game.

However, it is often overlooked that his EFL League One campaign the year before he signed for Rangers was his only real proper full season in football. Ferguson continued: “Remember, Manny may be 25 now but he came to the senior game late and doesn’t have all that much experience at this level. He’s having to learn on the job and we’re seeing signs of that.

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