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.
However, that has led several fans of Premier League giants to urge their clubs to push for the highly-rated youngster.
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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. Sam Wallace's report in the Telegraph this Tuesday 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.
Despite this, the replies to Wallace's tweet linking his article in the Telegraph showed the desire English fans still have to see Ferguson make the move to a big club.
Several fans of big six clubs jumped in urging their teams to make a move for the Irish striker, with a particular abundance of Arsenal fans - though the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea also saw ample representation.
With underperforming forward options at several of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, they could do far worse than make a move for Evan Ferguson.
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. It's clear that fans still rate him very highly, even if a move to a big six club seems somewhat unlikely as things stand.
One hopes that Ferguson can find his shooting boots again at club level, whether that be at Brighton or elsewhere.
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