Evan Ferguson loan latest as Genoa consider Brighton striker move
Brighton are weighing up another important decision on Evan Ferguson, with talkSPORT reporting that Genoa are interested in signing the striker on loan. It is the latest development in a career that once looked set to explode into the Premier League elite, before injury and stalled momentum changed the picture significantly.
Ferguson, now 21, has not played for Brighton since December 2024 and spent last season on loan at Roma. That spell never fully gathered pace. An ankle injury sustained in March restricted his impact and he managed only 16 league starts. Before that, there had already been a disappointing loan at West Ham during the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
For Brighton, this is becoming a familiar issue. A highly rated young centre-forward with clear pedigree, strong name recognition and long-term value, but with availability concerns that make any permanent solution difficult in the current market. Given Ferguson is “absent until October at the earliest”, as reported, “a permanent departure is unlikely”. In that context, a loan to Genoa feels credible and practical, provided all parties are comfortable with the recovery timeline.
Photo IMAGO
Genoa move emerges amid fitness concern
The Italian side’s interest is notable because it suggests Ferguson still carries weight abroad despite an extended period on the sidelines. Genoa may see an opportunity to secure a player of genuine top-level talent at a point when the risk profile is elevated and the fee conversation is effectively removed by the prospect of a temporary deal.
There is also logic for Brighton. Another European loan could offer Ferguson a cleaner reset, away from the immediate pressure of the Premier League and under a structure where minutes can be managed carefully. The challenge, of course, is whether he can finally string together the continuity that has eluded him.
Shay Given outlines Celtic case
Shay Given offered a strong view on the type of environment Ferguson now needs. “If you have a manager like Martin O’Neill at Celtic who can trust Ferguson, put him in, and put his arm around his shoulder, I think we will see the best of him,” Given said. He added, “I just think he needs to go somewhere where the manager is a bit old school about these things.”
Given’s point was really about clarity and belief. “Someone who will tell Evan you are my number nine, you are going to play every week, you are my main man. I’m putting a lot of eggs in your basket, I believe in you, so don’t let me down.” It is a vivid description of the reassurance Ferguson may need after repeated setbacks.
Given also addressed the physical toll of the past two seasons. “The last couple of seasons must have been so frustrating for him.” He explained, “After every injury he has had to go back and nearly start with another miniature preseason again, five or six times a season. It is not ideal.”
Brighton striker future remains open
There was a time when Ferguson looked ready to become one of the league’s standout young forwards. His hat-trick against Newcastle in 2023 felt like a major arrival moment. Since then, Brighton have largely had to wait. Injury disruption, two underwhelming loans and long periods without rhythm have slowed everything down.
Still, the talent has not disappeared. Given put it simply: “The only thing that can break him at the minute is his injury record.” That line may resonate most strongly at Brighton, where patience remains essential and the next loan could be crucial to restoring both confidence and value.
Our View
As a disappointed Brighton supporter, this report is hard to read because it feels like another chapter in a story that keeps drifting further away from what many of us hoped Ferguson would become at the Amex. We all remember the excitement, the power, the finishing, the sense that we had a special striker developing in front of us. Now it is all about recovery dates, cautious planning and the next loan.
There is sympathy for the player, of course. Injuries can derail anyone, especially a young forward trying to build rhythm and confidence. But from a fan’s perspective, it is frustrating that Brighton still seem no closer to finding out whether Ferguson can genuinely be part of the club’s future. Roma did not truly reignite him, West Ham did not work, and now Genoa are in the frame.
If this move happens, supporters will hope it is finally the right one, with a clear pathway to regular football once he is fit. What nobody wants is another season of starts and stops, another temporary spell with no certainty, and another summer next year asking the same questions. Brighton need clarity, Ferguson needs stability, and the club need one loan to actually mean something.
Source: talkSPORT