The Ireland teenager has exactly what it takes to be one of the best strikers in Europe over the next decade, so United can't afford not to sign him
George Best. Norman Whiteside. Kevin Moran. Roy Keane. Denis Irwin. John O'Shea. Manchester United's history has been written by Irish players. With the obvious exception of England, no country has provided the club with more players than the island of Ireland. A combined total of 75 players from north and south of the border have played for United's first team, forging an army of of fans across the Irish Sea.
When United announced they would play a pre-season friendly with Athletic Club in Dublin in August, the 55,000 tickets for the Aviva Stadium sold out in nine minutes. Every two weeks, thousands of fans make the journey across the Irish Sea to Old Trafford. They are joined by countless other local fans living in Manchester with Irish roots, stemming from the mass immigration to the city in the mid-19th century.
Lately, however, this huge United stronghold have been starved of an idol to call their own. This is as much the fault of Ireland as United's, as few great footballers have come out of the country over the past decade. But there is a new kid on the block from their shores who is shaping up to be one of the best strikers in Europe: an 18-year-old named Evan Ferguson. The Brighton teenager set pulses racing with an exciting breakthrough campaign in 2022-23 and has made a flying start to this season, averaging a goal every 51 minutes.
His next stop is Old Trafford for Saturday's clash with United, the club he and his former footballer father, Barry, both support. And if United have any sense, they will already be taking the steps to make the Theatre of Dreams Ferguson's permanent home…
Getty'I smell a goalscorer'
Three players scored hat-tricks in the Premier League before the international break. There was little surprise about two of the protagonists, Erling Haaland and Son Heung-Min, who have now scored a combined 11 trebles for their respective clubs. There was far more chatter, however, about Ferguson, who plundered three goals against Newcastle in the space of 42 minutes.
Ferguson's first goal may have been a tap-in, but he showed razor-sharp reactions to pounce after Nick Pope spilled a shot at his feet. His next strike was a demonstration of shooting technique and confidence, taking the ball forward on his own and then curling into the far corner from 25 yards out.
His hat-trick goal was another shot from outside the area and had a stroke of good fortune as it took a heavy deflection on its way in. But it also spoke of Ferguson's sheer hunger to score and he was rewarded for his audacity.
"I smell a goalscorer. Eighteen years old, I think he could be a little special," said an excited Gary Lineker on . "I don’t want to get carried away, but I see a hint of Haaland about him."
Ian Wright, another top striker of yesteryear, was also awe-struck, saying: "He has got everything. Great movement, fantastic first touch, he takes up great positions. He is only going to get better."
Ferguson would have had every right to brag after his performance, but in his post-match interview he looked remarkably humble. When told that Son and Haaland had also scored hat-tricks, he simply smiled and said: "It's good company to keep."
AdvertisementGetty Images'Manboy' and a senior debut aged 14
Ferguson was the sixth-youngest player to score a Premier League hat-trick, and in his short career he has developed a reputation for precocious achievements. His senior debut, for example, came at the age of just 14 in a friendly for Dublin side Bohemians against Chelsea in July 2019. Two months later, still 14, he made his competitive debut in the League of Ireland.
He was 15 when he signed for Brighton and 16 when he began playing and scoring for their Under-23s side. From an early age his physicality always stood out, leading to Brighton staff nicknaming the 6'3 striker 'Manboy'.
“He’s a special talent who will go right to the top. He’s got that aura about him, without any ego. He can do everything with the ball," Brighton’s former U18s coach Mark Beard told “In my first session with him, he asked to do extras on his own, so I did a shooting session with him. He’s an all-round centre-forward who can shoot with both feet, head, volley, score with his back to goal.
"I kept testing him but he had no weakness. The two goalkeepers didn’t save one shot in the 10 minutes the session lasted. I have never seen anything like it.”
GettyIntelligent and inventive
Ferguson is far more than just a powerhouse though. As well as being way ahead of his contemporaries physically, he has developed an understanding of the game players do not usually show until they have had several years of experience at the top level.
Take his goal in the 2-2 draw at Leicester last season, when he timed his run into the box to perfection, evading three defenders to get on the end of Pervis Estupinan's shot and telegraph it in off the post. Former Brighton striker Glen Murray was full of praise in the studio: "He made an incredibly difficult header look very easy — the distance, the angle, the power. He had to generate that power himself. It was just perfect really.
"His understanding of the game, when to drop it off, when to spin it out, when to hold it up… they’re things that can’t be taught. They’re things that experience brings, but he just seems to have such a good understanding so early."
Ferguson is also a hugely inventive player. Take his audacious backheel goal against Bournemouth last season or his textbook control and calm finish in the FA Cup quarter-final win over Grimsby Town. The Premier League's all-time top scorer, Alan Shearer, has also given Ferguson his vote of approval.
"Left foot, right foot, headers, pace, aggression, intuition; there is no obvious weakness to his game, which is only going to get better and better. He has the lot," Shearer told "I love how he can bully defenders. I love his positioning, I love how he’s always asking different questions of the centre-half, either going up against him or, as he did against Newcastle, dropping in short, getting the ball to feet and turning. I love his movement in the box. Perhaps most of all, I love the purity and ferocity of his hunger; how much he craves goals."
(C)Getty ImagesBrighton's next big export
Brighton are Europe's kings of the transfer market right now, and their recent business makes United's scattergun approach look particularly embarrassing. The Seagulls have made £363 million ($450m) from transfers in the last two seasons alone, turning a profit of £164m. And remarkably, despite selling their biggest assets, they seem to be getting even better.
In the summer of 2021, they sold Ben White to Arsenal for £50m ($62m), while the following year they made £62m ($77m) by selling Marc Cucurella to Chelsea and Yves Bissouma to Tottenham for £25m ($31m). Moises Caicedo, picked up for peanuts from Ecuador in January 2021, took Bissouma's place and proved to be a significant upgrade. After resisting a £70m ($86m) bid from Arsenal for the midfielder in January, Brighton sold him to Chelsea this summer for an astonishing £115m ($142m), breaking the Premier League's transfer record.
Despite the overhaul, they have made another ominous start to the season, thrashing Wolves and Luton 4-1 each, then bouncing back from a disappointing defeat at home to West Ham by outplaying Newcastle. Kaoru Mitoma, Julio Enciso and Solly March have all been influential, but there can be little doubt that their next big-money sale will be Ferguson.
United, Manchester City and Newcastle have all reportedly stepped up their interest in Ferguson, but Brighton have all the cards. Ferguson recently signed a new contract until 2028 and Brighton will be in no hurry to let him leave, especially after making such a huge transfer profit over the summer.
Instead, they can watch Ferguson develop even more before eventually cashing in. Brighton already value Ferguson at £120m ($148m) and that was before his tour de force against Newcastle. If he keeps the momentum up, his value could well rise to £150m ($186m)
"He could not be at a better club at the moment than Brighton under Roberto De Zerbi," said former England striker Chris Sutton on . "At 18 years old he has great physicality. Just imagine Evan Ferguson in another three or four years with the development he will have."