DICK ADVOCAAT insists Barry Ferguson could play for any of the biggest teams in the world.

The Dutchman largely moulded Ferguson's career at Rangers and made him captain and he knows he will be a massvie threat to his Zenit St Petersburg side in next week's UEFA Cup final.

He feels Fergie could play for Manchester United or Arsenal but he knows Rangers is in his heart.

Advocaat said: "Walter did not use Ferguson when he was young and, if I had not arrived, another coach would have benefited because he is a natural talent.

"I was still surprised, though, that he came back to Rangers from Blackburn Rovers. Mind you, I was surprised he played for Blackburn in the first place.

"He has much more talent than that and can and could still play for any of the top four clubs in England. It was a good move by David Murray to bring him back, but he should be at Arsenal or Manchester United.

"He is not a lesser player than Owen Hargreaves and some others, for example.

"I know he was homesick in England. The Blackburn team was not doing so well and I think he wanted back to Scotland.

"I tried to become the Blackburn manager when Graeme Souness left them, but they decided not to take a foreigner and took Mark Hughes.

"If I had gone there, I'm sure Barry would have stayed. He was captain then. It could have been very different careers for quite a few people and for Blackburn.

"Barry has won everything with Rangers and the Scotland team has done well. Every individual can decide these things and see if he feels comfortable.

"If he wins the UEFA Cup with Rangers it will mean an awful lot to him."