Evan Ferguson to Celtic transfer gets seal of approval as £100m rated striker tipped to explode

Daily Record

21 hours ago

The Hoops have prioritised a new goalscorer this summer after losing Kyogo to Rennes in January
Shay Given insists Celtic could strike gold by snapping up Irish prodigy Evan Ferguson.
Ferguson, 20, exploded onto the scene at Brighton in 2022 and attracted huge interest from European heavyweights.
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But the rising star has since endured a difficult couple of seasons, including a torrid 33-game goalless streak that eventually ended last October.
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Once valued at over £100million, Ferguson has fallen out of favour at the Seagulls following a disappointing loan spell at Premier League rivals West Ham.
With Brendan Rodgers in the market for another striker this summer, there have been murmurs that Celts could offer Ferguson a platform to reignite his career at Parkhead. That would see him compete with fellow countryman Adam Idah for the nod up front.
And Republic of Ireland legend Given, 49, believes the youngster could find his shooting boots again in Scotland.
Asked about the prospect of Ferguson moving to Glasgow, Given joked: 'Better not tell Adam that!
'Evan just needs to find a home, if I'm being honest. Be it here or somewhere else. He needs someone to say, 'You're my player.'
'He went to West Ham for Graham Potter and you thought that was the perfect fit because Graham had him at Brighton. But then he didn't play so much at West Ham either.
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'Michail Antonio and someone else was injured, yet they played Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus - not Ferguson. What happens next for Evan?
'I just think he needs to go, be it a loan for a season or some club buys him, and you build the team around him. I think he's a top player, I really do.
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'I did some Malaysian TV recently with Bobby Zamora and he goes into Brighton once a week and coaches the strikers. Bobby said Evan was the best finisher at the club.
'Maybe because he burst onto the scene that everyone's been expecting so much so soon. But again, with young players, you need to have a bit of time.
'I just feel he's ready now to burst onto the scene for a full season with somebody. For us, with Ireland, it would be great too.
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"I don't know if the finances would be to buy him, but if you said for a loan for the season, it would be perfect. But I'm not the financial power at Celtic or Newcastle, so I don't know!'
Working as a TV pundit in Ireland, Given keeps a close eye on Celtic's Irish trio - Idah, Liam Scales, and Johnny Kenny. Despite netting 20 goals, £9.5m frontman Idah continues to divide the green-and-white faithful.
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However, Given - in Glasgow to promote next month's Newcastle's pre-season friendly at Celtic Park - rates the ex-Norwich City man highly.
The Magpies great said: 'First season as a regular starter, I think it's been a good campaign for him. But he'll want to improve on that and get more goals next season. I don't think 20's a bad return, if I'm being brutally honest.
'He'll also want to add to his international goals too. Liam Scales has come out of the team in recent weeks, I think. Adam and Scalesy are well regarded in the international set-up.
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'Adam's competing with Ferguson and Troy Parrott and players like that. Ferguson, not that long ago, was being talked about as a £100m player, and Adam started on Friday night against Senegal.
'So, that's where he's regarded in the Irish set up, by the manager especially. He was the first choice on Friday night while Ferguson started against Luxembourg. Adam's very much competing for that number nine jersey.
'He's a good player, and with Brendan - who is a brilliant manager and coach - he's in the right environment. Celtic's a big club and I think Brendan will keep improving him as a player. I think he's in the perfect position.'
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Rookie forward Kenny, 22, returned from a prolific loan stint at Shamrock Rovers in January but spent most of the campaign on the periphery.
He notched his first goal for the champions in the 5-1 rout at Pittodrie and also made a cameo in the Treble-busting Scottish Cup Final defeat at Hampden.
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Given hopes he has a bright future in the game and added: 'He was on loan at Shamrock and did well. I know obviously with Dermot there's a connection with Celic and Shamrock. He's come back here and played a couple of games off the bench.
'You'd need to ask Brendan for his plans for Johnny for the season. Does he see him as part of the plans or him going back out on loan? Does Brendan think he's ready? I don't see enough of him to know for sure.
'But again, from an Ireland perspective, we'd really like to see more of him for Celtic. When you get a flavour of first team football, you just want more and more.
'Even at Shamrock Rovers, the League of Ireland's flying at the minute. Damien Duff has added a huge problem to the league as well. 'The stadiums are sold out now.
'When you go to play in front of crowds, it gives you such a lift. I remember for myself back in the day, I went to Swindon as a kid and I loved playing in front of decent crowds. It doesn't matter how big the crowd is, that edge is there.
'When you then go back to the reserves, it's not the same. It's a bit of a step back. So for Kenny, he'll want to play again, having had that taste of first-team football.'