Joao Pedro, Evan Ferguson. (Daniel Chesterton/Offside)
Though they’ve endured something of a mixed first season under manager Fabian Hürzeler, there’s no denying Brighton & Hove Albion remain one of the Premier League’s most exciting and talented young sides.
They boast one of the league’s top young goalkeepers in Bart Verbruggen, dynamic fullbacks in Tariq Lamptey and Pervis Estupiñán, and technically gifted midfielders like Carlos Baleba and Diego Gomez.
But it’s in the final third where the Seagulls arguably have the greatest depth of talent. Out wide, Simon Adingra (23), Yankuba Minteh (20), and Kaoru Mitoma (27) have all shown flashes of brilliance under Hürzeler. Up front, João Pedro (23), £40 million signing Georginio Rutter (23), and veteran Danny Welbeck (34) round out a youthful but experienced attacking line.
Add to that the recent £22 million signing of 19-year-old Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas from FC Nürnberg, and Brighton’s attacking options seem endless.
One player who’s struggled to find his place amid all this competition, however, is Evan Ferguson.
Shane Long Urges Ferguson to Leave Brighton
After a promising start that saw him score 16 goals across his first two seasons as a teenager, the Republic of Ireland international has found himself out of favour. Loaned to West Ham in January, Ferguson has yet to score in eight appearances, and it appears he’s no longer part of Brighton’s long-term plans.
With his future now uncertain, former Premier League striker Shane Long has offered some advice to the 20-year-old.
“He needs a pre-season with a club,” said Long, speaking to Ladbrokes, via the Sussex Express. “First of all, he needs to move on from Brighton, and find a manager that gets that confidence in him again.”
Long believes a clean break could do Ferguson good. “He just needs to get away for the summer, forget about football, get his fitness in order, and come back fresh and raring to go with that hunger and drive to succeed again.”
Having scored 56 Premier League goals during spells with Reading, West Brom, Hull City, and Southampton, Long knows the ups and downs of England’s top flight. And he still has faith in Ferguson’s potential.
“He’s only a baby. I wasn’t playing properly in the Premier League until I was 21 or 22 – Evan’s already shown us he can do it at such a young age,” Long said. “It’s just a case of giving him that confidence and letting him play freely, without the weight of the world on his shoulders.”
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