Brighton & Hove Albion are reportedly determined to keep hold of star striker and Chelsea target Evan Ferguson for the foreseeable future.
According to Football Insider, Brighton & Hove Albion are confident of keeping wonderkid striker Evan Ferguson until at least 2025, despite strong interest from Premier League big-spenders Chelsea.
The 19-year-old has established himself as one of the most sought-after strikers in the Premier League since bursting onto the scene with Brighton in 2021, scoring 10 goals in all competitions across a breakout season for the Seagulls last term.
The teenager has grown from strength to strength, with six goals at the start of this campaign, and his eye-catching performances have caught the attention of England’s elite, with several big guns scouring the market for attacking reinforcements this winter.
Chelsea, for one, are long-term admirers of Ferguson and have been tracking the Republic of Ireland star for some time. The Blues’ also have a good business relationship with the Seagulls, having paid generously to bring Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo from the Seagulls, as well as manager Graham Potter and several backroom staff.
However, the Pensioners’ are likely to be knocked back should they initiate contact with Brighton over a possible agreement for the Republic of Ireland international.
In November, the youngster put pen to paper on a six-year contract at the Amex Stadium, tying him to the club until the summer of 2029, and Brighton believe he is worth more than the £115 million British record fee they got for Caicedo.
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi will be reluctant to lose another key player to West London, and it is also thought Ferguson is in no rush to leave, which comes as a big blow to Chelsea’s hopes of landing the Irish forward.
Chelsea have spent well over £1billion on new signings over the last three transfer windows since Todd Boehly’s arrival at the helm, but have endured yet another miserable start to the season, languishing down in tenth in the Premier League table.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino is under immense pressure in the wake of the side’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg defeat at Middlesbrough in midweek, and the former Tottenham boss is hoping for striker reinforcements before the January transfer deadline.
It’s understood Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen are other alternatives on Chelsea’s transfer wishlist as they strive to make up ground on their rivals and make a return to Europe.
