AS Roma has officially announced the acquisition of Irish striker Evan Ferguson from Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old is eager to revitalize his career after a couple of seasons that didn't quite live up to expectations. Roma confirmed the signing on Wednesday, stating that the loan agreement includes an option to buy.
Ferguson's journey to Roma began at Bohemian FC before he joined Brighton in January 2021 at the age of 16. He made his senior debut for Brighton in August of that year. The 2022-23 campaign was his breakthrough season, where he scored 10 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions and earned his first senior cap for Ireland. However, his momentum was disrupted by injuries.
A cruciate ligament tear impacted his 2023-24 season, despite a hat-trick against Newcastle United in September. He struggled to maintain a regular starting position under Roberto De Zerbi. Last season, after failing to impress Brighton's new boss, Fabian Hurzeler, Ferguson was loaned to West Ham United in February. Unfortunately, he only started one of eight appearances and didn't score any goals under former Brighton manager Graham Potter.
Now, Ferguson aims to regain his form under Roma's new manager, Gian Piero Gasperini. Gasperini has a proven track record of transforming clubs and revitalizing players' careers, as demonstrated by his work with Atalanta, where he turned them from relegation contenders into a top-four Serie A side. He also has a history of turning inconsistent strikers into prolific goalscorers, including players like Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel, Ademola Lookman, and Gianluca Scamacca. This offers hope for Ferguson as he seeks a fresh start in the Italian capital.
There's considerable optimism in Rome surrounding Ferguson's arrival. He was featured on the front page of Il Romanista newspaper with the headline "The Irishman". Upon arriving at Ciampino airport, Ferguson was greeted by a large group of Roma fans chanting his name.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton's manager, noted that Ferguson had a challenging period, disrupted by injuries that prevented him from getting a consistent run of games. Hürzeler added that Ferguson has recovered from those injuries and is in great shape, eager to play regularly. He believes this loan presents an exciting opportunity in a strong league with the potential for European football, and the club will be closely monitoring his progress.
Roma reportedly paid a €3 million loan fee for Ferguson, without a buyout clause. Ferguson traveled to Rome on Sunday to finalize the terms and undergo a medical. His long-term future at Brighton remains uncertain, especially after the recent signing of Greek teenager Charalampos Kostoulas for €35 million, who will compete for an attacking role alongside Danny Welbeck and Georgino Rutter.
Ferguson is the first Irish player to join Roma. He will wear the number 11 shirt. Roma's preseason friendlies against Kaiserslautern, Lens, Aston Villa, and Everton will provide Gasperini with opportunities to determine his starting center forward before the Serie A campaign begins against Bologna on August 23rd at the Stadio Olimpico. Ferguson will be keen to make an immediate impact in Italy, especially after his unsuccessful loan spell at West Ham.
