Everyone is talking about Evan Ferguson

Breaking news: Brighton forward Evan Ferguson is quite good at football. And you do not need to take the word of WAB for it, with the teenager drawing high praise from some of the greatest strikers of the past 40 years.

Since becoming a first team regular under Roberto De Zerbi immediately after the winter break, Ferguson has plundered six goals and claimed three assists in 14 appearances.

The reason for the excitement about his talent is that each goal shows another side to his game. He appears to have all the attributes needed to become a complete centre forward, hence comparisons to the likes of Erling Haaland, Marco van Basten, Alan Shearer and Duncan Edwards.

Ferguson’s first Premier League goal required strength to shrug off the attentions of Arsenal defender William Saliba and then calmness to stick the ball through the legs of Aaron Ramsdale.

At Everton, Ferguson showed awareness and intelligence to check his run just before Jeremy Sarmiento delivered a low cross. That created the space the Irishman needed to finish from 10 yards.

His bullet header into bottom corner at Leicester City was a goal any of the best target men to have played football would have been proud of. The first touch, the turn and the finish against Grimsby Town in the FA Cup were utterly sublime.

The past has seen a fair few strikers come through the Albion’s academy to be hailed the next big thing after a couple of goals, only for them to fail to live up to expectations.

Aaron Connolly, Joe Gatting, you could even make a case for Jake Robinson, who was in some quarters decreed a future England international after a LDV Vans trophy goal against Forest Green Rovers.

It is for that reason that we have tried to remain cautious about Ferguson. One swallow does not a summer make and all that.

But as the months go on, the performances keep coming and the goals are still going in, it is hard not to get excited about the player Ferguson already is. Let alone what he could become over the next few seasons.

Already, there are plenty of judges with far more expertise than your average Brighton fan heaping praise on Evan Ferguson. Everyone is talking about him…

Gary Lineker
Between upsetting the Daily Mail and forcing the BBC into embarrassing U-turns, Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has spoken in glowing terms about Ferguson.

Lineker tweeted after Ferguson scored his second in the FA Cup quarter final win over Grimsby: “18-year-old, Evan Ferguson raps it up for @OfficialBHAFC with his second goal. I see a real centre forward before my eyes.”

The Walkers crisps ambassador knows a thing or two about strikers. Lineker scored 283 goals for the likes of Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona and Spurs.

He notched 48 times for England and won the golden boot at the 1986 World Cup. Might Ferguson follow in his footsteps by leading the scoring charts in the USA, Canada and Mexico if the Republic qualify for 2026?

Robbie Keane
Ferguson fired in his first international goal when the Republic beat Latvia 3-2 in Dublin, becoming the youngest scorer for the Boys in Green since Robbie Keane.

After being given his professional debut by the great Mark McGhee, Keane went onto score 68 times for his country. Might Ferguson one day eclipse that record?

Keane has been full of praise for Ferguson. Writing in his Betway blog recently, Keane said: “The emergence of Evan Ferguson has been great to watch. It’s a big thing for Ireland to have someone who is playing on a regular basis for a top-10 Premier League club.”

“I’ve always said that we need to have our best players playing in the best leagues if we want to achieve something and Evan is doing that at a wonderful club like Brighton.”

“He’s got huge potential and a real chance of fulfilling that because he seems to be so level-headed and has clearly been managed well. We’ve seen that he can score goals too, and as a nation we’ve been crying out for someone who can do that on a regular basis.”

“Hopefully he can be the man to take that responsibility for Ireland going forward, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. He’s a young kid and I know what it’s like to have pressure at that stage of your career.”

“I was lucky enough to overcome it and score many goals. Evan’s his own person and his own player, and I think he’s got something special.”

Kylian Mbappe
The second man in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final has been watching videos of Evan Ferguson playing for Brighton.

Kylian Mbappe revealed his admiration for Ferguson before France took on the Republic in a Euro 2024 qualifier at the Aviva Stadium.

“He’s a good striker, an important striker for that team,” said Mbappe. “We’ve seen some clips about him, of course. We hope tomorrow he’s going to do nothing and that means we are going to win and we’re going to do our job. But he is a good player.”

With Mbappe now confirmed as a Ferguson fanboy and Lionel Messi knowing deep down the only reason he left Qatar with a winners medal was because of Alexis Mac Allister, it is only a matter of time befoew Brighton lure both Paris Saint-Germain superstars to the Amex.

Tim Sherwood
Okay, so Tim Sherwood did not do much in his managerial career other than wear a gilet before they became fashionable. But we are willing to listen to him sing the praises of Ferguson.

Sherwood captained a Blackburn Rovers side containing Alan Shearer to the Premier League title in the 1994-95 season. And it is Shearer to whom he has compared Ferguson.

The comments came following Ferguson’s headed equaliser as Brighton drew 2-2 at Leicester City in January, after which Sherwood said: “This boy has emerged and Trossard has been allowed to leave the football club because Ferguson has emerged from nowhere.”

“De Zerbi is obviously looking down at the academy as well and appreciates the qualities of this boy and that finish against Leicester was outstanding. That’s Alan Shearer in his pomp.”

Sherwood also suggested that Newcastle United should use some of their vast Saudi Sportswashing money to purchase Ferguson as a matter of urgency.

“Newcastle are looking for a striker, that might be one there. Go in there now, there’s no point in getting him after he’s scored 50 Premier League goals because he will be unaffordable.”

Brighton fans are going to need to get used to Evan Ferguson being linked with every club under the sun in the coming months. He is that good and there are going to be even more people talking about him.