Graham Potter is now the West Ham United boss, and one of his first calls may be to bring in some players he has previously worked with. On that note, West Ham are trying to sign Brighton and Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson before next week’s transfer window.
The Hammers have been alerted by Brighton’s decision to loan out Evan Ferguson or perhaps even sell him after his lack of opportunities and niggling injury problems in the last 15-18 months. However, there is a lot of competition for the Republic of Ireland international’s signature, with the likes of Tottenham, Bournemouth, Everton, Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen all keen.
Bayer Leverkusen’s need may have reduced after Victor Boniface’s move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr collapsed earlier this week. With Boniface now staying put, the German champions are in no rush to add a new striker to their ranks.
Nonetheless, West Ham are reportedly confident over agreeing a deal with Brighton for Evan Ferguson. A loan with a buy option has been discussed, although a bid of £40m could be enough for Brighton to sanction the centre-forward’s sale.
Evan Ferguson would be a good fit under Graham Potter at West Ham
It was under Graham Potter’s tutelage that Ferguson into Brighton’s first team a few years ago. Highly rated in the English circuit and beyond, he shot into prominence in the 2022-23 campaign and led to him being nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
However, the 20-year-old’s stock has dipped a bit in the last 12-15 months. Persistent ankle issues has not allowed Ferguson to continue his development, leading him to miss a lot of action for the Seagulls. The centre-forward has made 12 Premier League appearances this season but 10 of those have been as a substitute. Ferguson’s only goal this season was in the draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in October.
The youngster needs a fresh start in his career and a move to West Ham that will reunite him with Potter could be the right move. West Ham are keen on Ferguson, and the player himself may just be open to this move. The striker had a great relationship with Potter at Brighton, and the new West Ham coach praised him back in 2022.
“Evan is a young guy but he’s got a big future.
“I’ve been really impressed with him in training. He’s got really good movement and you can see his quality. His goals, they’re not by accident, that’s for sure. He knows where to be in the box and around the defenders.
“The more he’s with us, the better he’ll get I think. The guys in the academy have done a fantastic job with him. Now, he’s in that next stage and we’ve to take it at the right pace for him. But obviously when he’s in the first team, it’s a good experience for him.”
It will be interesting to see whether West Ham can pull off a deal for Ferguson.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
