Evan Ferguson to Roma: Brighton striker set to join exclusive club with ‘deal agreed’ over summer transfer

Roma have reportedly reached an agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion to sign striker Evan Ferguson.

The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham United, but he failed to make the desired impact in front of goal for Graham Potter’s side and was unable to score in eight appearances.

Ferguson fell down the pecking order at Brighton at the beginning of last season following the arrival of Fabian Hurzeler, and he seemingly does not have a future at the Amex Stadium under the German head coach.

The 22-cap Republic of Ireland international burst onto the scene at Brighton in the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 10 goals in 25 matches across all competitions which allegedly caught the attention of several Premier League clubs.

A number of English top-tier teams are understood to have held an interest in signing Ferguson this summer, but Serie A outfit Roma now appear to have won the race for his signature.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Roma have agreed a deal with Brighton to sign Ferguson on an initial season-long loan deal which includes a €40m (£34.7m) option-to-buy clause.

Ferguson set to follow in footsteps of Irish quartet as Roma move edges closer

A verbal agreement is said to have been reached between all partied and Ferguson could soon become Roma’s first summer signing since the arrival of new head coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Should Ferguson complete a move to Roma and make at least one appearance in Serie A next season, he would become just the fifth Irish player in history to play in the top division of Italian football.

Ferguson would follow in the footsteps of international teammate Festy Ebosele (Udinese, 2022-24), James Abankwah (Udinese, 2022-23 and 2024-25), Robbie Keane (Inter Milan, 2000-01) and Liam Brady (Juventus, Sampdoria, Inter Milan and Ascoli between 1980-87) to play in Serie A.

Roma have been on the lookout for a new striker to provide competition for Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala, the latter of whom is injury prone and is currently sidelined with a ruptured tendon.

I Giallorossi have also allowed fellow strikers Tammy Abraham and Eldor Shomurodov to leave the club on loan to Besiktas and Istanbul Basaksehir respectively.

Ferguson will hope to reignite his career with a Roma side who finished fifth in Serie A last season and will compete in the 2025-26 Europa League.

Written by
Oliver Thomas