There are footballers who need a letter of introduction to their teams, and those who, with all the confidence in the world, break down their first walls as professionals without any shame. In this second group could be Evan Ferguson.

A physically exuberant forward, who points to the technical ways to become Brighton’s new diamond in the rough, where Ecuadorians Moisés Caicedo, Pervis Estupiñán and Jeremy Sarmiento shine.

Moises Caicedo, the ‘Ecuadorian wonder’ whom Brighton valued at more than 100 million dollars, writes The Sun

At just 18 years of age, he has already made Roberto De Zerbi bet on him for the Seagulls’ forward spot, but it seems his future is destined to shine, writes the daily AS From Spain.

Moisés Caicedo and Brighton, “without romance or sympathy”, advance in the FA Cup to the praise of the English press

It is nothing new that some footballers take advantage of their roots to end up playing for teams that are not in their country of birth. Evan Ferguson’s case may not be so different from other Republic of Ireland players who have recently ended up playing for the Three Lions at international level. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish are the latest cases, currently shining in the hands of Gareth Southgate.

Manchester United and Ecuador-Brighton meet in April for the semi-finals of the FA Cup

Representing his country has been a no-brainer for the young Irish striker so far. Born in Bettystown, a town practically in the north of Ireland with a population of almost 12,000, Evan emigrated to Brighton in 2021. He has already made a name for himself as an absolute international since November 2022 (despite not making his debut in an official competition), representing his country in the under-15 , Sat-17 and Sat-21.

There were no doubts about him, but his roots on his mother’s side could see England try to convince him to switch teams despite being called up against France and Latvia. His official debut is getting closer.

As Ferguson’s present takes shape, the Seagulls know they have a huge advantage to continue nurturing a team that is no longer a surprise in English football. “Strengthening”, moreover, the position that seemed to be touched in relation to the rest of the lines. In addition, it is also no longer surprising that young people continue to stand out thanks to De Zerbi.

immediate effect

Despite his age, he is already attracting the attention of English football. For Ferguson, there is no intermediate point in the minutes that the Italian coach gives him on the field. He didn’t care if it was the Premier League, the League Cup or the FA Cup.

His presence in any competition with Brighton translated into numbers. That’s why his contribution every 84 minutes (he has 7 goals and 3 assists this season) makes him an almost perfect piece for the frenetic play of the English team.

De Zerbi knows he needs to be careful, but every performance of the Irish forward makes him a little more in the media spotlight. For the Italian, the goal is not only to develop the best possible striker for his team, but also to develop a player who can be much more than a striker.

“He is a special striker. We are working on him understanding the plays so he can be a complete player. If you’re working with a smart guy like Evan, it’s good because he understands exactly what you want and he’s going to improve day by day… He has the quality to score but he can reach a higher level. He must learn to play as a midfielder, we need him to be a ’10’ and a ‘9’”.

His last two goals against Grimsby Town in the FA Cup (before the break) show many of Ferguson’s qualities when he approaches the opposition half. He is aggressive and doesn’t hide, has the presence to tackle centre-backs as he is agile in movement and is currently showing a nose for goal which makes him a dangerous weapon for opponents when they give him time to think.

His growth is steady, and although old age may leave empty spaces in his progress, he continues to strengthen the reasons for his devotion until now. (D)