Chelsea and Tottenham chase Brighton wonderkid Evan Ferguson

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 20 Feb 2023 09:31 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea and Tottenham have both expressed an interest in signing Brighton and Republic of Ireland starlet Evan Ferguson after his impressive burst onto the Premier League scene.

The 18-year-old has emerged as a key player under new Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, and his five goal contributions in just seven league appearances has caught the eye of two of the division's biggest clubs.

Ferguson, who only joined Brighton from Irish club Bohemians aged 16, could become the latest Seagulls star to be sold for big money following the departures of Benjamin White, Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella in recent years.

READ: Arsenal and Liverpool target Mac Allister admits he almost left Brighton

According to The Sun, Chelsea and Tottenham are both weighing up a move for the teenager, with the two clubs said to be very keen on the young forward.

Antonio Conte's side reportedly view Ferguson as a potential future replacement for club legend Harry Kane, who is now Spurs' all-time record goal-scorer after breaking Jimmy Greaves' tally by netting the winner against Manchester City in February.

Furthermore, Chelsea have reportedly identified Ferguson as a potential solution to their goal-scoring issues. The Blues have found the back of the net just 23 times in 23 Premier League games this term, with Kai Havertz struggling to perform as a central number nine. Ferguson worked under Graham Potter and Chelsea's coaching staff during their time at Brighton, and he was signed by the south coast side when Chelsea's director of global talent Paul Winstanley was working at the club.

READ: Caicedo's agent criticises Brighton for denying 'dream' transfer

Brighton's summer exits

Ferguson is not the only Brighton star who could be leaving the Amex this summer as Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister have also been heavily linked with summer exits after interest from Arsenal and Liverpool respectively.

Flying winger Kaoru Mitoma has also caught the eyes of scouts across England after his electric form on the left flank, while Robert Sanchez is another player who has previously been linked with a departure.