Death, taxes and Evan Ferguson rumours would be a fair way of summing up the last number of weeks in Irish football.
Ever since news broke that the Meath native could be tempted away from Brighton come January, the news has been rife with rumours linking the out-of-favour striker to a host of Premier League clubs including Leicester, Nottingham Forest, Fulham among others.
While the powers that be in Brighton have spent the last number of weeks refuting the possibility of Ferguson leaving the Amex, there was a significant change in tone from Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler earlier this week when he hinted that the club and Ferguson were discussing his future in Brighton - a revelation that came just days before the transfer window opened.
19 June 2023; Evan Ferguson of Republic of Ireland celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 Championship qualifying group B match between Republic of Ireland and Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
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Premier League contenders eyeing up Evan Ferguson
As the transfer window opened, reports from talkSPORT in the UK quickly emerged claiming that Mikel Arteta's Arsenal could be eyeing up a move for the Republic of Ireland striker.
Bukayo Saka's sideline injury which is expected to sideline him for a lengthy period has only added to issues in Mikel Arteta's already undercooked attack, with the Spanish manager reportedly keen to bolster his attack this month.
While Arsenal are reluctant to spend big this month, a potential loan deal that would see Arteta's attack bolstered, and Ferguson get some much-needed game-time could potentially be very mutually beneficial. Arsenal currently sit second in the table, albeit six points behind leaders Liverpool.
talkSPORT are also reporting that Westham have made contact with Brighton and Hove Albion about a potential loan deal, however, the club are still undecided about whether to sanction a move for the Irishman or not.
So far this season Ferguson has appeared just twelve times for Brighton, starting just twice in the Premier League and scoring once. The 20-year-old burst onto the scene as one of the most promising footballers of his generation, but has been plagued by injuries over the last season and a half, first suffering a knee injury, before a more serious ankle injury which required surgery ruled him out for much of 2024.
Since returning from injury, Ferguson has been held out of the starting team, and at times the matchday squad by the glittering form of Danny Welbeck, Joao Pedro and more recently Georginio Rutter, all of whom would be difficult for Ferguson to overtake in the pecking order.
The situation has left Ferguson keen on moving away in January in pursuit of more regular minutes, something he will need if he's to return to the form he found when he first arrived in the top flight.
While Arsenal and Westham may be a shoo-in to earn the signature of Evan Ferguson should Brighton allow him leave, there are also no shortage of other Premier League clubs reportedly interest and to whom a January loan deal for a player of Ferguson's calibre would be an attractive prospect.
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