Man Utd told when they can sign Brighton's Evan Ferguson
Robin Bairner
- 16 Aug 2023 07:07 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United have been told that they can complete a transfer for Brighton wonderkid Evan Ferguson – they will just have to wait five years to do it, according to Seagulls CEO Paul Barber.
Ferguson, 18, has caught the eye for Brighton in his limited first-team appearances for the Premier League club, with a string of major teams taking interest in his progress.
This was heightened at the weekend, when he struck for the Seagulls as they dismantled newly promoted Luton 4-1 at the AmEx Stadium.
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In total, Ferguson has 11 first-team goals and four more assists for Brighton in just 30 appearances, making him one of the hottest young strikers anywhere in the world.
Man Utd, in particular, have been linked with the player. The Red Devils are still seen to be short in attack, despite adding Rasmus Hojlund to their ranks this summer, but Erik ten Hag’s men have been told that they will have to be patient if they want to add the talented youngster to their squad.
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Ferguson’s future at Brighton
Speaking to TalkSport, CEO Paul Barber claimed that the Old Trafford side will have to wait five years before landing Ferguson – by which point the striker will be out of contract at Brighton.
Barber was asked when Ferguson will be allowed to leave the club and he said: “In Evan's case at least five years time!
“The technical staff make the key decisions on where a player is in their development - whether they need more first-team games or to go out on loan or if we should trade them earlier or later. We're relying on technical staff to make judgements on player's development, we only get involved when it comes to what happens next, but it's a team effort.”
Ferguson presently has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €14.1 million, but that figure is set to explode as he gains more first-team experience.
