It’s accepted certainty that Evan Ferguson will go away Brighton in some unspecified time in the future within the subsequent few years, probably as quickly as this summer season’s switch window. However for Chelsea? He must be mad to swap the American Specific Stadium for Stamford Bridge.
And if his fledgling profession to date has proven us something, it’s that Ferguson shouldn’t be mad. Removed from it. He’s an older, wiser head on younger shoulders. He makes remarkably wise choices based mostly on what is sweet for his profession somewhat than his financial institution steadiness.
Ferguson needs to become the perfect participant he can. To that finish, he seems to have workforce round him, versus the form of money-obsessed brokers whose self-interest can usually injury the careers of the promising younger abilities they profess to help. Therefore why negotiations over a brand new Brighton contract working via to 2029 which Ferguson signed in November had been mentioned to be so easy.
It additionally explains why Ferguson moved to the Albion within the first place. Having first come to prominence when taking part in as a 14-year-old for League of Eire facet Bohemians in a pre-season pleasant in opposition to Chelsea in July 2019, each high membership in England and Scotland had been focused on securing Ferguson’s companies.
He had trials with Manchester United, Everton, Celtic and Liverpool. The Reds had been notably desperate to take Ferguson to Anfield and he spent a number of weeks coaching on Merseyside. All of these golf equipment would have supplied extra money than Brighton, and but Ferguson opted to signal for the Seagulls in January 2021.
Speaking in regards to the choice in an interview with The Athletic, Ferguson mentioned: “I went to Liverpool a couple of instances. It’s membership, however you see so many boys at Liverpool simply fading away and there’s no probability to get within the first workforce. I used to be pondering, ‘Do I simply need to play two years of under-18s after which go to the 23s and go from there to the place?’ Brighton is an efficient membership. The individuals working round are at all times there to assist.
“It got here all the way down to the truth that should you come to Brighton it is a pathway via. When you go to a workforce resembling Liverpool, then they’ll purchase a striker for £60m to £70m. At Brighton, they wish to deliver their academy gamers via and provides them an opportunity. I would say that was the explanation, trying long run somewhat than quick time period. So I would say that this was the ultimate purpose.”
Ferguson elaborated when talking to Sussex Reside a month later: “I used to return over to all of the golf equipment with my dad. He had a clue about what was happening so I believe he was key. I had been on a trial to some golf equipment however Liverpool was the principle one aside from Brighton.
“I believe from the surface it was apparent to see the pathway [at Brighton] and many of the managers right here have given probabilities to younger gamers. Once I came visiting it was completely different from all the opposite golf equipment, they had been positively the workforce I wished to hitch.”
That brings us properly to Chelsea. The Blues have been linked with a summer season bid for Ferguson in extra of the £115m they paid to interrupt the British switch file final summer season for Moises Caicedo. The previous 18 months exhibits us cash isn’t any object to Todd Boehly and while the promise of riches has lured £1bn price of expertise to Stamford Bridge because the haphazard American took over, wouldn’t it be sufficient to tempt Ferguson?
Not if the choice making which noticed Ferguson flip down Liverpool, United and the remaining in favour of Brighton is something go by. No person who has moved to Chelsea within the Boehly Period has seen their inventory rise; a transfer to Stamford Bridge lately is tantamount to profession suicide. Ferguson has seen that first-hand via the procession of people he labored with at Brighton who left Sussex looking for greener grass (and a a lot more healthy financial institution steadiness) in West London.
Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez and Caicedo have all gone backwards after becoming a member of Chelsea. Graham Potter went from the following large managerial factor to sacked inside seven months. It’s nearly as if Brighton create an surroundings the place people thrive whereas Chelsea fosters a poisonous, self-entitlement that places cash above all else.
Transfer to Stamford Bridge, fail to stay as much as expectations and Ferguson will see his rise stalled. The Republic of Eire can be susceptible to not getting the perfect of a generational expertise a nation appears to have pinned its footballing hopes on. It might be a travesty for a participant who has earned comparisons to everybody from Duncan Edwards to Marco van Basten to Wayne Rooney to Erling Haaland. Gary Lineker, Robbie Keane and Kylian Mbappe have all spoken publicly in reward of Ferguson since he broke into the Brighton first workforce squad in December 2022.
Chelsea would possibly need Ferguson, however he is aware of Brighton is the perfect place to develop and enhance at this stage in his profession. The place participant improvement trumps immediate success and successful trophies. As proficient as Ferguson already is, he nonetheless has a lot to be taught. It’s horrifying to suppose how good he can turn into in 5 to 10 years, offering he has the precise teaching and a secure surroundings to assist him get there. Edwards, Van Basten, Rooney and Haaland ranges of excellent, in keeping with the specialists.
Proper now, that surroundings is taking part in for Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton. Within the not-too-distant future, it is likely to be Liverpool, Manchester Metropolis or one of many giants of European soccer. However a transfer this summer season to the black gap for proficient younger gamers that’s Chelsea? It might be a mad profession transfer for a footballer with the world at his ft.
