Evan Ferguson to make HUGE decision amid Man Utd and Arsenal links
Cameron Smith
- 3 Sept 2023 15:34 BST
- 4 min read
Republic of Ireland forward Evan Ferguson has no intention of switching international allegiance to England, despite qualifying for Gareth Southgate’s side.
Ferguson, 18, has been one of the Premier League’s brightest young stars since he broke through into the Brighton & Hove Albion senior side in 2022 and he netted a hat-trick in the Seagulls' 3-1 win over Newcastle United on Saturday evening.
Tottenham Hotspur identified Ferguson as a possible long-term replacement for Harry Kane earlier this year, while the Irishman is a boyhood Manchester United fan, which has fuelled rumours of a switch to Old Trafford.
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In addition, FootballTransfers exclusively reported earlier this summer that Arsenal are plotting a move for Ferguson in 2024. Chelsea have also been linked due to the number of players and staff they have lured away from Brighton over the past 12 months.
Liverpool and Everton also both took Ferguson on trial before he joined Brighton from Irish club Bohemians in 2021.
The Seagulls held out for an initial €115 million for Moises Caicedo and the expectation is that Ferguson will cost at least that amount. In April, he signed a new Brighton contract that runs until 2028.
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Ferguson’s big decision
While he has made six international appearances for the Republic of Ireland, Ferguson qualifies for England due to his English mother. Of those six caps, three have come in competitive games, meaning that he will be tied to Ireland if he makes one more appearance for his nation.
Despite the hurt of losing Jack Grealish and Declan Rice to England, Irish fans need not worry as The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath reported in April that he will not change international allegiance.
Ferguson also said in an interview with Sky Sports that he “wouldn’t be allowed back in the country (Ireland) by his dad” if he changed allegiance to England.
The 18-year-old Brighton wonderkid is expected to start in both of Ireland’s matches next weekend during the September international break. That will end rumours of a switch to England.
