Shearer's six-word Evan Ferguson remark speaks volumes as he admits his surprise
The Irishman has impressed with Brighton and Hove Albion since joining from Bohemians in 2021, racking up 17 goals and six assists in 80 outings for the Seagulls. However, due to stiff competition from the likes of Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro in 2024/25, Ferguson was sent out on a half-season loan with West Ham in February for more frequent football.
What ensued was an eight-game dry spell, with the 20-year-old unable to find the back of the net for the Hammers before returning to his parent club. However, if the opinion of all-time Premier League leading goalscorer Shearer is anything to go by, Ferguson still holds massive potential.
Speaking to Betfair, the Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle legend said: "I was hugely impressed by Evan Ferguson a few seasons ago and think I did an article on that and how I thought his potential was massive. I'm a tad surprised he's left the Premier League but also it may be a reset for him.
"He may go over to Italy for a couple of years and then look to come back to England. I'm surprised he's chosen to leave the Premier League, but I guess we're not sure how many offers he had.
"I'd have liked to have seen him stay and show the potential he did in the early days at Brighton. When he scored that hat-trick against Newcastle, I just thought 'wow, what a player he looks.' He's certainly one to keep an eye on over the next season or two."
The game in which Shearer referred to took place at the American Express Stadium in September 2023, with Ferguson in flying form against an off-the-pace Newcastle side. Ferguson opened the scoring on the 27th minute when Nick Pope spilled a long-range effort from Billy Gilmour into the striker's path. Evan Ferguson impressed Alan Shearer (Image: PA)
He bagged his brace with 65 minutes on the clock, hitting a dipping effort past Pope and into the bottom right corner of the net from outside the box, before completing his hat-trick for the afternoon with a left-footed curler from the edge of the area five minutes later. Callum Wilson's stoppage time goal came as all but a consolation for the Magpies, who made the long journey back to Tyneside with a 3-1 loss to show for their efforts.
It comes as Ferguson is set to spend the entirety of 2025/26 on loan with Roma, with the Serie A stalwarts agreeing a deal with Brighton on Wednesday. Speaking about the move, Brighton head coach, Fabian Hurzeler, said: "Evan had a challenging period across the past season and a half, and it has been one disrupted by niggling injury issues. He really wants to play regularly and this is an exciting opportunity in a strong league and with the prospect of European football."
And it hasn't taken Ferguson long to make a mark at his temporary club either, scoring four goals in a training-ground friendly against Serie D outfit UniPomezia on Thursday as a No. 9. Roma will be eager to improve on last season's fifth-place finish in Serie A when 2025/26 rolls around, with Ferguson also potentially relishing at playing Europa League football with I Giallorossi. Ferguson spent the last half of 2024/25 on loan with West Ham (Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
Brighton, meanwhile, will miss out on European football this season as a result of finishing eighth in the Premier League standings in 2024/25. However, the Seagulls have worked tirelessly to improve their squad for the fresh campaign, welcoming a number of fresh faces to the AMEX.
Centre-half Diego Coppola secured a move to Brighton in June from Hellas Verona for an undisclosed fee, before Do-young Yoon joined the ranks from Daejeon Hana Citizen on a five-year deal at the turn of July. As part of plans from the Brighton camp, however, Yoon will spend his first season with the Seagulls on loan with Excelsior Rotterdam to develop further.
Tommy Watson also joined at the turn of the transfer window through a pre-agreed deal with Sunderland AFC, while Maxim De Cuyper made his way to the south coast from Club Brugge, and Charalampos Kostoulas arrived from Olympiacos. It comes as Brighton are set to return to the UK after completing a pre-season tour of Spain.
The Seagulls secured a 3-1 win over Stoke City and a 2-0 win over Las Palmas at the Marbella Football Centre and now prepare to take on Southampton at St Mary's and Wolfsburg on home soil ahead of their Premier League opener with Fulham on August 16.
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