It has not exactly been easy going for Evan Ferguson at club level of late, with recent reports suggesting a Brighton exit could be on the cards.
The Irishman spent much of the past 12 months on the sidelines after picking up an injury in the spring. From March’s Premier League defeat to Liverpool, Ferguson did not play until Ireland’s defeat to England in September. That injury layoff came after a barren spell in front of goal, and the 20-year-old has scored only once for Brighton since returning from injury.
All of these factors have seen Ferguson fall down the pecking order at the AMEX, even despite some bright performances on his return to duty with the Irish national team.
This week has seen a flurry of whispers that a loan move away from Brighton could come through as soon as January – and fresh reports suggest that the valuation of any prospective permanent deal has fallen significantly since this time last year.
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UK report shines light on Evan Ferguson transfer value
17 November 2024; Evan Ferguson of Republic of Ireland with Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson as he is substituted off during the UEFA Nations League B Group 2 match between England and Republic of Ireland at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
On November 25 2023, Evan Ferguson scored for Brighton in an away Premier League win at Nottingham Forest. It feels remarkable to say but he has scored just one Premier League goal since then.
There is far more at play than a dip in form but it has nonetheless seen the Irishman’s valuation take a significant hit. The Times’ report this week on Ferguson’s transfer situation suggests that a bid of £60 million could be enough to secure his services on a permanent basis.
This comes little over a year since Brighton reportedly “laughed off” a £50 million bid from Manchester United as derisory. Reports at that time suggested that the ultimate value of a deal for Ferguson could hit as high as £100 million, depending on his progress with Brighton.
However, the events of the intervening 15 months have seen the links shift from permanent moves to the likes of United or Chelsea to loan moves to the likes of Leicester or Fulham.
Evan Ferguson remains one of Irish football’s brightest talents of the past decade and any reasonable Ireland fan will see his potential to do big things in the Premier League. However, it has undeniably been a challenging year for the youngster, and that has been reflected in the dipping valuation given to him by the UK media.
One hopes that Ferguson can find his shooting boots again at club level, whether that be at Brighton or elsewhere.
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