Promising strikers must head elsewhere this summer

Tom Weber

• Updated: 30 Jan 2025 09:05 CST
• 4 min read

Although the start of the 2025 summer transfer window is still a few months away, clubs across the world will already be formulating their plans.

Strikers are traditionally a sought-after commodity in the transfer market, particularly those who have yet to fulfil the undoubted potential they possess.

Two highly-touted young strikers stand out as players who desperately need to head elsewhere this summer if they are to make their mark in football.

Read on as we take a look at a pair of talented forwards whose career development would benefit from leaving their respective clubs at the end of the season.

Evan Ferguson – Brighton & Hove Albion

Evan Ferguson sparked a flurry of excitement when he burst onto the scene with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022/23, but things have not gone to plan since then.

The Brighton starlet was touted as a potential £100 million player, and scouts across Europe were clamouring to find clips of him in action on streaming platforms.

Thankfully for them, as revealed by ExpressVPN, football is one of the most streamed sports on the planet and there was plenty of Ferguson-related content to explore.

His reputation subsequently dipped after a disappointing 2023/24 season, and his fortunes have not improved during the current campaign with Brighton.

Initial talk of the Republic of Ireland international being worth £100m now look fanciful, but a switch to another club could trigger a resurgence in his form.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler does not seem to rate Ferguson, and a series of niggly injury issues have hindered his hopes of changing his mind.

Several other Premier League clubs are in the market for a striker and taking a punt on the 20-year-old this summer would not be the worst idea anyone has ever had.

Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Bournemouth and Fulham have all been touted as potential landing spots for Ferguson and it would be no surprise if one of them snapped him up.

However, a more obvious destination is West Ham United, whose forward line has been decimated by injuries to several key players this season.

Endrick – Real Madrid

Brazilian starlet Endrick has been tipped to become one of the best strikers of his generation, but his progress has stalled since he joined Real Madrid.

The former Palmeiras starlet recently showcased his talents by bagging a brace in extra-time during a Copa del Rey last-16 tie against Celta Vigo.

Despite this, Endrick is currently towards the bottom of the attacking pecking order at Madrid and opportunities in La Liga will continue to be rare this term.

The 18-year-old has immaculate ball control, excellent one-on-one ability and pace to burn. Apart from his aerial ability, it is hard to pinpoint another area where he struggles.

He opened his Champions League goalscoring account in September 2024 with a stunning hit that flew beyond Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nubel.

His debut La Liga goal against Real Valladolid was equally magnificent as he showed superb balance and control before rifling a shot into the back of the net with his weaker foot.

There has been speculation about Madrid sending him out on loan, but it is unclear if he would accept the move at this stage of his career.

However, given the competition for places at Madrid, the Brazilian forward needs to seriously consider whether his development would be better served elsewhere.