Evan Ferguson’s loan move from Brighton & Hove Albion to AS Roma started brilliantly. The Ireland international repeatedly found the back of the net in preseason and it looked like he’d found his groove again.
Then Serie A started and the goals disappeared. Completely.
Indeed, the 21-year-old didn’t score an official Roma goal until November. In total he’s had more than 550 minutes and there’s a widespread belief he needs to be showing more generally, regardless of finding the back of the net.
There’s even been talk recently about sending him back to Brighton in January, with the Seagulls left ‘perplexed’. That may not be such a bad idea if Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini has moved on.
The manager is known to be demanding, and he’s gone public with his Brighton loan frustrations.
Brighton player needs to improve
Roma are in Glasgow to day to face Celtic in the Europa League. Ahead of the match, Gasperini spoke to the media, and the Brighton player was mentioned. To put it simply, the manager wants a lot more from Ferguson.
Calciomercato quote him as saying: “There’s no dislike or sympathy for the players; it’s their performances. Ferguson has had plenty of chances, but of course we’re waiting for him. He’s young, and we can expect him to perform better, not so much technically. I hadn’t had a direct relationship with Hermoso (Mario, Spanish defender), but his technical and dressing room qualities have allowed him to be a pillar. I truly hope that’s the case for Ferguson too, that he can express all this from now on.”
The Italian media have taken the words as an ultimatum, and a message to Ferguson that it’s his last chance before January.
Roma are looking at other options, including Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee. They’d ideally want to loan the Dutchman with a purchase option, although the Red Devils want something a bit firmer.
