AS Roma are reportedly set to cancel Evan Ferguson’s loan at the club following a disappointing few months.
The forward has failed to find the back of the net in a competitive match since joining the Italian outfit on a season-long deal over the summer, and a recent ankle injury has only dented his hopes of impressing at the Stadio Olimpico.
With Roma struggling for goals, they are currently scouring the market for attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window – and any new signings are set to be at the expense of Ferguson.
According to Graeme Bailey, Roma are ‘expected to cancel’ the Irishman’s loan at the club and allow the striker to return to Brighton.
This would then prompt the Serie A side to bring in a direct replacement, with Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee highly thought of – though Brighton, West Ham and Everton have also been linked with the Dutchman.
Ferguson would be eligible to go back out on loan in January as he has only represented Roma so far this season – though there is every chance that the Seagulls consider helping the 21-year-old bounce back to form themselves.
Celtic are long-term admirers of the striker and are said to be monitoring his situation closely. The Hoops are expected to be in the market for a No. 9 in January, and Ferguson is likely to be an option who will come under significant consideration.
It remains to be seen how Brighton respond to their striker’s premature return and whether Fabian Hurzeler decides to keep him as part of his squad for the second half of the campaign.
The Seagulls have a host of attacking options at the club already, but Georginio Rutter has struggled when deputising for Danny Welbeck up top, and Stefanos Tzimas is yet to truly be offered the chance to prove his worth, meaning there could be the opportunity for Ferguson to return as an alternative striker option.