How Roma fended off Premier League interest for Evan Ferguson deal
Right up until the night before he completed his medical and signed the deal, the hope remained that Chelsea might still be able to reach an agreement with Brighton for him to go to Stamford Bridge.
The 42 previously detailed how the respective situations of Ferguson and Liam Delap, who signed for the London club this summer, crossed over during the last few months.
Even a late loan enquiry from Manchester United at the start of the year placed an element of doubt around the Republic of Ireland international's club future, before he eventually settled on West Ham.
This time around there was no ambiguity: Ferguson wanted to join Roma. From the time he returned to Brighton for pre-season and it was clear that a move away was required to get the minutes that he felt were necessary, the priority for Ferguson was to agree a deal with a club as soon as possible so he could start pre-season training and spend as much time with his new teammates and coach.
That he already has close to a full week under his belt and scored a first-half hattrick in an in-house training game illustrate his eagerness to hit the ground running ahead of the start of the Serie A season on 23 August.
There were still options briefly considered in the Premier League earlier this summer, though, and The 42 understands that both Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford showed significant interest.
Less so from one club playing in the Champions League who couldn't stretch their wage bill enough to cover their share of Ferguson's salary while also shelling out the required loan fee in the region of €3 million.
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Those financial terms of the deal were not a problem for Roma, but more important was the decisiveness of the Serie A giants that put them in pole position.
Ferguson and his camp did not want a situation whereby they were being made to wait by potential suitors until late in the summer window – possibly after new seasons started around Europe – and needed other deals to materialise before something could be arranged.
The 20-year-old didn't want to wait around, and that is why the influence of Roma's new head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, made the deal even more attractive. The pair spoke while negotiations between the the two clubs were ongoing for a deal that will see the Italians taking the option to buy Ferguson at the end of the season-long loan for €40m.
Such a clause was never part of West Ham's agreement — the plan was always for Ferguson to return to Brighton this summer — and even when Chelsea were in talks with the Seagulls, they did not seek such an option.
A Europa League campaign is now on the horizon for the Republic of Ireland international, but if he can also play a key role in securing the club's primary aim, Champions League qualification, that option is sure to be taken up.
Roma missed out on the top four by just one point last season although their goal difference of +21 was the worst of the top five and their tally of just 56 goals scored was the lowest of the top nine sides. That's part of the reason Gasperini was appointed.
So while the talks between clubs happened in background, the Italian boss detailed with Ferguson just why he wanted him at the club, pinpointed his strengths and areas he could help improve, and referenced the resurgence that Ademola Lookman benefitted from during the 2023/24 campaign.
That ended with the former Everton winger scoring a hat-trick as Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Europa League final at Aviva Stadium.
Gian Piero Gasperini prepares to lift the Europa League trophy in Dublin. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
Rasmus Hojlund also made impressive progress under Gasperini's guidance at Atalanta before Manchester United paid the Serie A club up to €77 million. Ferguson also came away from those talks with Gasperini feeling like he will get the opportunity to play.
The sense at Brighton, meanwhile, is that a player who still has four years to run on his contract can still have a future at the club provided he can return to the level they feel he is capable of. A fresh start with more chances to play and build up the match fitness required is important as the youngster develops and becomes more robust.
'I think Evan has the quality to play in any league in the world. I think Roma is a big club. He will not only grow as a player, he will grow as a person,' Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said in an interview with local paper the Brighton Argus while away on their pre-season training camp in Spain.
That ties in with the feeling that Ferguson is still maturing as a person and the expectation of performing in a first-team environment.
'When you have a club like Roma, one of the biggest in Europe that are interested, it's hard to turn down – especially when you feel like they want you to come here, saying how good it could be for you and your career. For me it's a good opportunity,' he said at his unveiling this week, shortly after he was mobbed by scores of jubliant supporters on his arrival at the airport.
'When I landed, you could tell the culture straight away, how big the club is. From landing, you can hear the fans, people and cameras and interviews. It's a big honour to come and play in front of people who want to see you do well.
'I can do a few different things but the main thing I want to do is score goals, prove myself and get back out there. I just want to get out there, play football and score goals.'
If he can act as decisively on the pitch as he did with getting this move done, then a rejuvenated Ferguson might just be a gamechanger for Ireland when the World Cup qualifying campaign starts in September.
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