Brighton manager Roberton de Zerbi says he wants Ireland international Evan Ferguson to become more than a goalscoring striker.
The 18-year-old scored his sixth and seventh goals of the season at the weekend as his Brighton side defeated Grimsby 5-0 to seal a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals.
7 - Evan Ferguson has scored seven goals for Brighton this season, and is now the top-scoring teenager for a Premier League club across all competitions in 2022-23. Focal. pic.twitter.com/LWNG89DYxB
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 19, 2023
"Ferguson is a special striker," De Zerbi is quoted as saying by The Argus.
"I’m working, and my staff are working, to improve him to become not only a number nine, not only a striker, but in terms of understanding the play, to receive the ball or to attack the space and not only one thing. To complete the player, to complete the guy.
"He is a very good guy and I think if you work with a clever guy it is nice because he understands immediately and he improves day by day.
20 November 2022; Evan Ferguson of Republic of Ireland in action against Kurt Shaw of Malta during the International Friendly match between Malta and Republic of Ireland at the Ta' Qali National Stadium in Attard, Malta. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
"He is a fantastic striker, his quality is to score goals.
"But, in the Premier League, in the high level where he can arrive, it is not enough to score goals. You have to play, you have to understand the play.
"You have to play like a midfielder when you are far from the goal area and like a striker in the last 20 metres.
"We need Ferguson and (Danny) Welbeck to work like a number 10, not only a number nine."
This is a SENSATIONAL goal from Evan Ferguson! The touch and finish is out of this world 🔥pic.twitter.com/FnRMp7Viv0
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) March 19, 2023
See Also: BBC Pundits In Awe Of Evan Ferguson After His FA Cup Performance
