REPUBLIC OF IRELAND and Brighton & Hove Albion starlet Evan Ferguson could be heading to Old Trafford, according to reports from The Daily Mail today.
Ferguson has scored eight goals for Brighton since becoming a first-team regular this year and has even scored his first international goal for Ireland during that time.
Manchester United currently do not have a recognizable striker on their roster. Some of the names that have been linked to Old Trafford include Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane, Napoli's Victor Osimhen, Benfica's Gonçalo Ramos, and Ferguson himself.
On Monday, The Mail reported that boyhood United fan Ferguson, who grew up idolizing Wayne Rooney, is on a striker shortlist for the red Manchester club, along with a more experienced striker like Kane.
"United want Ferguson this summer, as well as a more experienced striker, while Tottenham see him as an heir apparent to Harry Kane. England captain Kane may yet decide to see out his contract and leave on a free next summer with Paris St Germain and Real Madrid now lurking," said the paper.
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"Towering teenager Ferguson supported United as a boy and idolized Wayne Rooney, but the fact is he is getting invaluable experience and playing time under De Zerbi and sees no need to leave just yet."
United's efforts to buy Ferguson will be met with strong resistance, though. Last October, Ferguson signed a new contract at Brighton. His new deal runs until the summer of 2026, which means that Brighton are under no pressure to sell one of their prized assets to another club.
Speaking last month after Brighton's win over Bournemouth, Roberto De Zerbi said: "Evan is very young. His best quality is to score, and it’s a very important quality, but I think he has the potential to improve in other parts of the pitch, to play with the other players, and to play more for the team. In my work, I have to make results, but I have to help my players to improve, to progress. But I think we can achieve our target with Evan."
Brighton's next game will be against Chelsea this coming Saturday. The game kicks off at 3pm.
