Evan Ferguson completes loan switch to West Ham from Brighton

One of the longest-running stories of the January transfer window is over with Evan Ferguson joining West Ham on loan from Brighton.

The Irish forward has moved to the London Stadium until the end of the season, where he will link up with ex-Albion boss Glow Up Graham Potter.

Ferguson was not short of either loan or permanent transfer options if the rumour mill is to be believed.

West Ham have been heavily linked for months. Other potential Premier League destinations for a temporary switch included Everton and Southampton. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal were also said to be interested in buying Ferguson outright.

In Europe, Bayer Leverkusen might have made a move had the Bundesliga champions sold Victor Boniface to Al Nassr.

Two other unnamed German clubs were monitoring the situation, as were Marseille. Given Ferguson was considered one of the hottest young strikers in world football playing under Roberto De Zerbi at the Albion, a move to the Stade Velodrome could have been great for all parties.

Except it would involve De Zerbi and the Albion presumably want as little to do with him as possible following their divorce back in May.

Just 13 months ago, Ferguson equalled the long-standing record of Wayne Rooney for most Premier League goals scored in a calendar year by a teenager.

But since then, the goals have dried up. Ferguson scored just once for Brighton in 2024 and once for the Republic of Ireland.

There were mitigating circumstances for this barren spell. Between January and April, Ferguson was playing with an ankle injury. He underwent surgery in March and missed most of pre-season as a result.

Since returning, Ferguson has found his game time restricted. The early campaign form of Danny Welbeck made this understandable.

But with Welbeck himself ruled out, Fabian Hurzeler preferred to go with square peg in round hole solutions like playing Joao Pedro or Georginio Rutter as number nines.

It has become increasingly clear as the season has worn on that Hurzeler does not rate Ferguson. Despite some of the biggest and best clubs in England wanting to sign him from Brighton.

What do Hurzeler and those at Brighton making the decision to loan Ferguson to West Ham know about him which Arsenal, Chelsea, United and Potter do not?

Ferguson clearly needs to be playing regular football in an attempt to rediscover form and confidence. Something which he is not getting at Brighton currently.

From that point of view, the move makes sense. If Ferguson scores plenty of goals for the Happy Hammers, it will show the Albion he can reach those performance levels of 2023 again.

Brighton can then either reintegrate him to their first team squad next season or sell him for a bigger fee than possible now.

If Ferguson struggles for West Ham, Hurzeler’s decision not to play him and the Albion willingly loaning him out looks much more understandable.

We would have to conclude that, maybe, the recruitment department do still know what they are doing.

But there is still one very good reason why plenty of Seagulls supporters are unhappy about Brighton loaning Ferguson to West Ham.

It leaves the Albion even shorter in a position where they already had scant options. Pedro playing as a number nine frequently worked last season with De Zerbi in charge.

Hurzeler though has been unable to get a tune out of Pedro using him as a central striker. Rutter meanwhile has rarely played there in his life. For good reason, based on what we have seen so far.

In terms out out-and-out, natural number nines, Ferguson was the only alternative to Welbeck. What happens now if Welbeck gets injured? And Pedro at the same time? Something entirely plausible given their respective injury records.

Brighton have sought to strengthen their centre forward options by signing Stefanos Tzimas from FC Nurnberg for £22 million. The only problem being they agreed to loan him straight back to the Bundesliga 2 outfit.

With Julio Enciso having also left to join Ipswich Town on loan, it means Brighton come out of January willingly weaker in terms of attacking options than how they went into it.

Leaving just one inevitable question – how long do you think it will be between the transfer window slamming shut and Welbeck tweaking his hamstring?

I am going for three days. Which will make the decision to loan Ferguson to West Ham look questionable at best.