
Roma 'agree loan deal with Brighton for Evan Ferguson including option to buy for £32.9m' after striker's failed stint at West Ham
The 20-year-old striker burst on to the scene as a teenager under Graham Potter following his move from Irish outfit Bohemians in 2021.
However, has endured a troubled time with injury over the last few seasons, struggling to carve out a sustained period in the Brighton team.
He spent the second-half of last season on loan at West Ham, but failed to make an impact, failing to score in eight Premier League appearances for the Hammers.
Ferguson could not be set for another loan move away from Brighton, who have been in talks with Roma this week over a loan deal with an option to buy.
According to Sky Italia, the negotiations between the two clubs had been ongoing for some time, with a significant gap between Roma's initial proposal of £26m (€30m) and Brighton's asking price closer to £34.6m (€40m).
The final fee is now expected to settled at £32.9m (€38m) including add-ons.
Roma are now said to be focused on ironing out contractual details and agreeing personal terms with Ferguson, which are not expected to present major issues.
Ferguson burst onto the scene when he scored a hat-trick against Newcastle at the start of 2023-24 season aged just 18.
He was compared with a young Alan Shearer, the Premier League top scorer, at the time and an exciting future looked set in stone.
But his progress has stalled due to injuries - including a six-month lay-off with an ankle problem.
If Ferguson completes a move to Serie A, he will become the second striker to depart Brighton this summer after Joao Pedro, who has joined Chelsea for £60m.
Meanwhile, Seagulls left-back Pervis Estupinan is attracting interest from Manchester United and AC Milan.
At 27, Brighton will not stand in his way if he wants to leave for another challenge and bids close to £40m would tempt them.

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The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Mark Bullingham confident England can keep Sarina Wiegman until end of contract
Football Association chief Mark Bullingham insists England will have no problem retaining 'special' Sarina Wiegman until the conclusion of her contract, but confirmed they have held no extension talks with the head coach. The 55-year-old is the first manager in the history of men's or women's football to reach five consecutive major finals – including Sunday's showdown with Spain in Basel, where England are aiming to defend their Euro 2022 title. Wiegman is signed on until the conclusion of the 2027 World Cup, and, despite believing the Dutchwoman 'could do any job in football', Bullingham fully expects her to be leading England out in Brazil. '(It won't be) hard at all (to keep her),' said Bullingham. 'We are committed to her until 2027, she is committed to us, and we've obviously got a new team to support her. 'We haven't quite started working on 2027, although some of the logistical things we're looking at, but I know that her focus, hopefully after a success on Sunday, will shift quite quickly to 2027.' Should England beat Spain, Wiegman will lift her third consecutive European championship trophy, having guided the Netherlands to glory in 2017, then England in 2022. She also took the Dutch team to the World Cup final in 2019, and was in charge when the Lionesses reached their first two summers ago. Asked when conversations could take place, Bullingham replied: 'I'm pretty focused on Sunday at the moment. Generally you're normally looking at a tournament cycle out, if not a year out, that's when you would know roughly whether the coach wants to carry on, or whether you want to carry on, but, honestly, we haven't had any of those discussions yet.' On Tuesday night, after England completed another stunning comeback to beat Italy in their semi-final, Wiegman said she did not think she could distill her success down to one secret ingredient, but added: 'The only thing I could say, I think I'm always myself.' Bullingham feels Wiegman is a 'very special' coach, pointing out that 'there are teams here that have got good players, but haven't made it through to a final. 'Her connection with everyone is so special. I think really stressing that everyone is in it together is critical, and I think she's really helped build a very strong culture, not just amongst players, but the whole support team. 'I think her record individually is phenomenal. Before the tournament I said we were lucky to have her. I still feel that way. I think she's been incredible. I think her record of managing five tournaments and reaching five finals is phenomenal. 'I don't think anyone's been anywhere near that in the past, and I think it would be really hard for anyone to do in the future.' Some have wondered if Wiegman's next move could be into the men's game – perhaps even with England. Reiterating a similar view on the subject from two years ago, when he was asked for his thoughts at the World Cup, Bullingham said: 'It's almost disrespectful to assume that England men's is a more senior job than women's. 'That's not the way we view it. I said at the time, and I still believe now, Sarina could do any job in football.'


The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Social media companies not doing enough to protect England players from racism, says FA chief
Your support helps us to tell the story Read more Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Social media companies are still not doing enough to prevent England players from suffering racist abuse online, according to FA chief executive Mark Bullingham. Lionesses defender Jess Carter revealed before England's semi-final against Italy that she had received 'vile' and "abhorrent" racist abuse during Euro 2025. It came four years after Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were sent racist abuse after missing penalties in England's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy. open image in gallery Jess Carter was sent abuse on social media during Euro 2025 ( Getty ) Bullingham said the FA thought 'things would improve' following the Euro 2020 final, after conversations with social media platforms, but believes there has not been enough progress. The FA are working with the UK police following the abuse received by Carter and Bullingham said they want government regulator Ofcom to use the powers it now has under the Online Safety Act 2023 to 'hold social media companies to account' following the abuse. Under the Online Safety Act, social media platforms have a duty to protect users from harmful content such as racism and Ofcom are responsible for enforcing the legislation if there are breaches. 'We did think things would improve [after 2021] and we lobbied very hard together with Kick It Out and other representatives in football to make sure the online harms act came through,' Bullingham said. 'I think we would have liked it to have been stronger in some cases – if you look at the specific areas like 'legal but harmful'. There's a real risk that if we're not firm in how the act is implemented, it won't be as strong as we hope. 'I think now it's incumbent on Ofcom to make sure they really do bring those responsible for running social media platforms to account and I haven't seen huge progress in the last couple of years. We would like to see it now.' England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy said she would be joining Carter by stepping away from social media, posting that she would 'not continue to feed the very platform that enables abuse with no consequence'. open image in gallery Mark Bullingham and Sir Keir Starmer with England's players before Euro 2025 ( Getty Images ) The FA joined a mass boycott of social media, led by football players, clubs and leagues in 2021, and while Bullingham did not rule out taking such action again in the future, he pointed that it is down to regulators to step in. 'I think we'll look at any tool within our disposal, to make a difference,' said Bullingham, who confirmed he had yet to hear directly from any of the social media platforms following the abuse suffered by Carter during Euro 2025. 'I think what you've got now, that's different to before, is you've got the online safety act and online harms act that I think we're very keen to see how Ofcom start implementing measures to bring personal accountability to those that are running social media companies, 'Within that, so I think there are different tools at our disposal now and we'll definitely be pursuing those.' While the FA are working with UK police following the abuse suffered by Carter, many of the hateful posts are likely to have also come from abroad, with Bullingham underlined the challenges in tackling social media abuse by saying that prosecuting anyone outside the UK can be 'really hard and generally really expensive'. He added: 'There's been a lot of focus on taking down content - and I think they [social media platforms] could be much better at taking down content - but more importantly, I think they could be much better at preventing it as well, and then in aiding the prosecution when it happens. So at all stages they need to be better.'


The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Sarina Wiegman ‘not for sale' as FA to fight off offers if England win Euro 2025
The Football Association is determined to fight off any offers for Sarina Wiegman if the Lionesses win Euro 2025, with chief executive Mark Bullingham insisting that England manager is 'not for sale' at any price. Wiegman has now reached five major tournament finals in a row, including the last three with the Lionesses, and has the chance to become the first England manager in history to defend a title when her team take on world champions Spain on Sunday. Wiegman is under contract until the end of the 2027 Women's World Cup and Bullingham, who called the Dutch coach 'special', is confident they can keep her in charge even if there is an increased demand for her services if England win the Euros. Sarina Wiegman led England to Euro 2022 glory and has taken them to another major final (Getty Images) 'It's not hard at all,' Bullingham said. 'We are committed to her until 2027 and she is committed to us. We have a new team coming in for her. We haven't quite started working on the plans for 2027 but I know her focus. Hopefully after success on Sunday, it will shift quite quickly to 2027.' There has been some criticism of England's performances during their run to the Euro 2025 final in Switzerland and, while Bullingham said it was not his place to comment on whether Wiegman is taken for granted, he said it was no accident that she is into another final. 'We have a really special coach and we should all recognise that,' Bullingham said. 'I do think the tournament record is incredible but I also see the work she has done with players and the relationships and connections she builds in camps. It is phenomenal. 'She is just a cool head in the way she transmits that onto the pitch. She looks like the coolest person in the stadium and I have no doubts that helps in critical moments. I can only give my opinion but she is a really special coach and we are lucky to have her.' Wiegman will welcome two new additions to her coaching staff in September, with Janneke Bijl and Arvid Smit replacing assistant Arjan Veurink, who will be taking charge of the Netherlands after Euro 2025. Bullingham said there have yet to have been discussions over extending Wiegman's contract, as it is too soon to look beyond the 2027 World Cup, and responded to a suggestion that she should be under consideration for the England men's job after Thomas Tuchel. 'My answer is the same now as it was in 2023,' Bullingham said. 'The starting point is it is almost disrespectful to assume the men's job is more senior to the women's. That is not the way we view it. 'I said two years ago Sarina could do any job in football, she is an amazing talent and we are delighted to have her running the women's team through to 2027.'