Evan Ferguson set to leave Brighton

Just 12 months ago it was rumoured that Brighton & Hove Albion demanded record breaking transfer fees of £100 million for their sensational teenage striker Evan Ferguson. The Irish international had been playing regularly for the Seagulls for around a year by the time January 2024 came around, scoring 12 Premier League goals in that period at the young age of 19.

EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea could break British transfer record with move for Evan Ferguson. Brighton believe he is worth more than the £115m British record fee they got for Caicedo. (talkSPORT) pic.twitter.com/8uHCDzwkZr

— ChelsTransfer (@ChelsTransfer) January 12, 2024

Fast forward a further year and the striker finds himself struggling for game time on the South Coast after a cruciate ligament injury kept him sidelined for five months in 2024. This has led to Ferguson scoring just a singular goal for Brighton since November 2023 and 220 minutes of Premier League action across the entire 24/25 campaign.

Ferguson's options going forward

It’s clear that a move away is vitally needed for the striker who once looked like he was bound to move to a Premier League giant. His destination is still undetermined with a couple of days of the transfer window left. Everton and West Ham have both shown interest in a loan deal, with both clubs looking to find that goal-scoring striker they are missing.

A move further down the table could be the best option for Ferguson right now, with confidence and form all he should be after. Meanwhile, foreign clubs have also expressed their interest, with Bayer Leverkusen offloading Victor Boniface, the German champions require a new striker. The Bundesliga could be another great option, with it currently not working out for Ferguson in England. At Leverkusen, he would also get the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League, another attractive factor.

🚨🇮🇪 Bayer Leverkusen are leading the race to sign Evan Ferguson (20) from Brighton, reports @markmcadamtv. 🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/qmwTDKlsXW

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) January 28, 2025

Rumours have also circled connecting Arsenal to the striker, and whilst this is a deal that could work out it seems unlikely with the Gunners looking to sign a clear upgrade for their attacking line. Ferguson would be a gamble for any club as it is unknown whether he will return to the form he showed previously.

Would Evan Ferguson help solve Arsenal's striker crisis? 👇 pic.twitter.com/vGHjFcd0p0

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 29, 2025

Can the striker turn his career around?

Many Brighton fans are not entirely sure Ferguson’s departure would be a positive move, the forward gained his huge previous price tag due to his performances on the pitch, and it is clear that Ferguson has the potential to become a top-class number nine. Parallels have been drawn to Viktor Gyokeres, who was sold in 2021 before making a senior appearance for the club.

Ferguson shone under Roberto De Zerbi but hasn’t clicked the same with new head coach Fabian Hurzeler. With the Irishman returning to first-team action a month after the German was appointed forwards like Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro have been the preferred choice, and rightfully so with the pair both having strong goalscoring seasons.

Whichever club Ferguson ends up playing for for the rest of the season, it’s looking increasingly likely that it won't be Brighton. A combined lack of game time, fitness, sharpness, confidence and pressure at such a young age looks to have already taken a toll on the 20-year-old. However, he is still at the beginning of his career and fortunately has more than enough time to turn it around, where and whether that will occur though is still undetermined.

Brighton have a star on their hands...

Enjoy every @Evan_Ferguson9 Premier League goal so far in 2023 💫 pic.twitter.com/O4LzsJFssc

— Premier League (@premierleague) November 29, 2023