Aberdeen take their time against Peterhead as Lewis Ferguson prepares for Bologna switch

Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has confirmed that Lewis Ferguson is on his way to Bologna.

Christian Ramirez scored twice for Aberdeen against Peterhead.

The 22-year-old Scotland midfielder – who joined the Dons from Hamilton in 2018 – is expected to fly out to Italy next week for a medical and complete the move, with the fee reported as £3million.

Ferguson was absent from the Dons side Goodwin picked for the Premier Sports Cup opener against Peterhead, which they won 2-0.

Before the game the Pittodrie manager told Premier Sports: “It has been well documented over the last couple of days what is going on with Lewis.

Aberdeen's Lewis Ferguson is nearing a £3m move to Serie A side Bologna. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

“We are not going to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes, that speculation is true. Bologna are very interested.

“Lewis will go there at the beginning of the week and do a medical and if that’s all a success then Lewis will become a Bologna player.”

At Balmoor, Christian Ramirez’s second-half double gave the Dons a 2-0 victory in their opening Premier Sports Cup Group A game.

The American striker converted a penalty in the 63rd minute after Matt Kennedy was pulled down by Blue Toon defender Jack Brown and then headed in a Marley Watkins cross 10 minutes later to clinch the points.

The cinch Premiership visitors were without Ferguson but another midfielder, Ross McCrorie, was at the heart of most of the action in the first half.

In the opening minutes his powerful left-footed shot from 20 yards smacked the crossbar, with the ball hitting goalkeeper Jack Newman and going behind for a corner which came to nothing.

The League One side worked their way into the game but in the 27th minute Newman pushed a low drive from McCrorie past a post for another corner, with the danger eventually cleared.

Newman brilliantly saved Ramirez’s low drive from 16 yards for yet another fruitless corner before McCrorie had the ball in the net from 10 yards in the 42nd minute, only for a foul to be called against Jayden Richardson before he set the midfielder up with his cut back.

Newman made two further saves from Ramirez, but in the 56th minute Aberdeen keeper Kelle Roos made a terrific save from Ryan Dow’s long-range drive and from the corner Dons defender Liam Scales cleared off the line.

Moments later, however, after Kennedy went tumbling inside the box, Ramirez sent Newman the wrong way with his spot-kick.

And when the Dons striker nodded in a cross from Watkins the away fans could relax.