Over the last few days, reports have confirmed the agreement between Brighton and AS Roma to transfer striker Evan Ferguson to I Giallorossi.
This move would represent a courageous move from Roma as they put their trust in a 20-year-old Brighton striker who has never played in Serie A and still lacks experience.
However, in the eyes of someone like Claudio Ranieri, the clubs senior advisor, and Gian Piero Gasperini, the teams new head coach, the Seagulls striker’s abilities speak for themselves.
In fact, Ferguson started playing professional football back in 2019 with Bohemian FC in the Irish Premier Division.
Then he signed for the Brighton academy following a race between the Seagulls and Liverpool to acquire his services.
Although it took him some time to start playing with the senior team, his attitude and impact were immediately positive in the Premier League 2 in the 2021/2022 season, as he participated in 17 games and scored eight goals.
He made his debut in the Premier League during the same campaign but started participating regularly in the following season, with 19 games, six goals, and two assists in 2022/2023.
He also alternated between playing in the Premier League and the Premier League 2, having participated in six Premier League 2 games, with five goals and one assist.
The 2023/2024 season marked Ferguson’s first full season with the senior team in Englands top flight.
He played in 27 matches, scored six goals, and provided one assist.
However, the 2024/2025 season witnessed a drop in Ferguson’s performances, especially his goal contribution numbers.
He played in 21 Premier League games and scored only one goal.
Furthermore, Roma should consider that Ferguson had a cruciate ligament injury in 2024 that impacted his performances and limited his abilities in the period following his recovery.
During the 2024/2025 season, he suffered ankle injuries that forced him to miss seven games.
All this injury history information is mentioned to stress that Ferguson’s potential move to Roma is quite risky, but at the same time, it can be very rewarding if Roma know how to deal with the Irish striker, fix his issues, improve his weaknesses, and exploit his strengths.
In this tactical analysis and scout report, we will examine how Gian Piero Gasperini can upgrade the performance of his potential new striker and which aspects he needs to work on.
The analysis will also evaluate the player’s abilities, identify his strengths and weaknesses, and highlight why he can succeed at Roma.
Evan Ferguson Style Of Play
Evan Ferguson is usually used as a centre-forward, and as a left or right winger whenever needed.
Suppose the deal goes through and Ferguson joins Roma.
If so, he will most likely become the starting alternative to Eldor Shomurodov, who used to play as the second striker alongside Artem Dovbyk.
Therefore, Ferguson will most likely form an attacking duo with Dovbyk, knowing that Ferguson is more of a natural striker than Shomurodov.
Knowing Gasperini, Ferguson is expected to develop a lot under the management of the veteran Italian head coach.
Such a manager will definitely speed up the player’s integration into the team and adaptation to Serie A.
That said, Gasperini will need to work on many aspects with Ferguson to make him as fit as possible to cope with Serie A’s defending style.
This will automatically involve physical strength training to make Ferguson much more powerful in duels.
Evan Ferguson Pizza Chart
Ferguson is already excellent in terms of passing accuracy and even dangerous passing, as shown in the following pizza map.
Gasperini will need to work on creating chemistry between Dovbyk and Ferguson going forward to make the attacking duo successful.
He will need to use Ferguson’s dangerous passing and encourage him to use it more often with Dovbyk.
At the same time, Ferguson will need to attempt more shots per game, knowing that he shoots 2.07 times per 90 minutes.
What is also positive about Ferguson is that he has outstanding finishing skills.
He is capable of scoring goals from difficult angles with quick and efficient shots from distance.
He is also capable of winning duels against defenders and moving anticipatively during crosses or set-pieces, which makes him a dangerous striker when he wants to, especially when he is injury-free.
Gasperini will, therefore, have to help Ferguson get back to his pre-cruciate ligament injury form and work with him to reach his full potential.
Both he and Ranieri believe that the Irish international can become a key player for Roma.
This possibility is reinforced by the fact that Gasperini is known for developing young players and believing in their abilities, helping them reach their full potential quickly.
There are many examples of this, including Duván Zapata, Luis Muriel, Josip Iličić, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Ademola Lookman, Charles De Ketelaere, and more.
Most, if not all, of these players failed to perform at their best prior to joining Gasperini’s Atalanta but were capable of reaching their full potential as soon as they played under Gasperinis management, which is an encouraging sign that Ferguson has a high chance of succeeding with Roma.
Evan Ferguson Scout Report At Roma 2025/2026 - Analysis
Evan Ferguson Pizza Map
That said, I find it obligatory to note that Dovbyks current level and experience are highly superior to Fergusons.
Evan Ferguson Comparison With Artem Dovbyk
The following comparison graphic clearly shows the differences and the gap between players on multiple aspects, notably goal contribution, shots per match, touches inside the box, and aerial duels.
On the other hand, Ferguson is s
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