Young Brighton striker Evan Ferguson is set to join Serie A side AS Roma on loan as he looks to reignite his career after a difficult spell in the Premier League. The 20-year-old Republic of Ireland international landed in Italy on Sunday evening ahead of his medical with the Giallorossi and was greeted by a crowd of Roma fans at Ciampino Airport. <\/p>
Ferguson’s stock has fallen sharply since his breakout 2022-23 campaign at Brighton, where he scored nine goals and earned a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination. However, injuries and a loss of form saw him slip down the pecking order at the Amex. A loan spell at West Ham in the second half of last season failed to revive his fortunes, with Ferguson making just eight appearances under then-manager Graham Potter.<\/p>
The striker opted for Roma ahead of other interested clubs, with the deal now verbally approved by all parties involved. Roma had been in negotiations with Brighton throughout the summer as they searched for a replacement for Tammy Abraham, who is now on loan at Besiktas under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer<\/a>. <\/p> While discussions over a permanent deal initially hit a stumbling block, the two clubs have now reached a compromise to push through a loan move. The striker has joined on an initial season-long loan, with the Italian club holding a €40m (£34.7m) option to make the transfer permanent next summer.<\/p>