The football world turns quickly. Two seasons ago Evan Ferguson was touted as the next great hope of Irish football, a Premier League wonderkid with the world at his feet.
19th June 2023 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland: International Football Group B Euro 2024 Qualifier, Republic of Ireland versus Gibraltar Evan Ferguson of Ireland celebrates scoring his side second goal with Mikey Johnston. Photo ActionPlus Peter Fitzpatrick
Celtic in the frame to offer Ferguson the stage to rediscover his lost spark
Injuries and a crisis of confidence have seen that buzz quieten somewhat, but Brighton’s £28 million valuation of the young striker shows there’s still belief from his club that he can become a top-class talent.
And now, against the odds, Celtic could be in the frame to offer him the stage to rediscover his lost spark.
With Premier League clubs seemingly hesitant to take a £28m punt and Saudi sides focused on more marquee names, the idea of a season-long loan has come into focus.
Evan Ferguson during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Amex Stadium on October 26, 2024. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Initially, it looked like AS Roma would be his next destination — a glamorous move, no doubt. But according to an interesting report in The Sunday Times Ferguson himself might favour a more familiar setting, should Celtic make their interest known.
The report suggests Ferguson could consider turning down a Serie A switch in favour of pulling on the Hoops – a move that would have seemed fanciful even last season. But when you break it down, there’s a logic to it – and an element of risk.
At 20, Ferguson needs games, goals, and confidence
At 20, Ferguson needs games, goals, and confidence. At Brighton, he’s not guaranteed minutes. At Roma, he’d face a different culture, a new language, and all the pressure that comes with being a loanee in a league famed for its tactical demands.
However, at Celtic, he could arguably settle into a team that creates plenty of goalscoring opportunities. And of course, he’d be playing in front of 60,000 every other week, competing for silverware and European football.
Add in the Irish connection and the fact that Celtic Park is a second home to many an Irish talent over the decades, and whose most significant shareholder is fond of an Irish signing or two, and the move could make both footballing and personal sense.
Evan Ferguson during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at Amex Stadium on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
There’s no mention of a loan fee, which could undoubtedly put a spanner in the works
There’s no mention of a loan fee, which could undoubtedly put a spanner in the works, but the wages – reportedly in the region of £30,000 a week – are said to be within the club’s upper bracket, on par with captain Callum McGregor and returning hero Kieran Tierney. If that’s the case, and Brighton are open to it, Celtic could, perhaps, explore the deal further.
Could Evan Ferguson become the focal point of Celtic’s attack for 2025/26? Could he use the club as a platform to get back to the heights expected of him just a year ago? It’s an interesting enough prospect, but it’s also a risky one, as we covered on The Celtic Star last month.
Evan Ferguson of Republic of Ireland during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League match between England and Republic of Ireland at Wembley on November 17, 2024 (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Deals like this are rare. But so too is the chance to sign a player of Ferguson’s quality
Deals like this are rare. But so too is the chance to sign a player of Ferguson’s quality and potential. However, such a deal would also come fraught with concerns as to whether Ferguson can get back to the fitness and form that saw him explode onto the EPL scene.
It seems far-fetched as things stand, but if the numbers add up – and Brendan and the board backed themselves to get a deal done and get Evan Ferguson’s career back up and running – it could be a deal that might well get over the line.
Niall J
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That’s all we need, another Irish dud like Idah and Scales. If this boy Ferguson has lost his confidence at just 20 years old, then let someone else take a punt on him. Celtic need proven quality goal scorers, hopefully on permanent contracts. It’s time Nicholson and Rodgers did something positive in this regard instead of feeding fans with endless sophistry about “the club’s model”. That model is long outdated and needs to change very quickly. The money is there – SPEND IT quickly and wisely to add seious and much-needed quality to this squad. No more delays!
Martin, I wonder what you would be like if Celtic was in the same position as Rangers!!! I don’t like the way you slag off the Celtic players. Your’e not a HH fan.
John HH
Celtic will spend zilch if they can get away with it, as long as they can keep lowering the fans expectations then they are happy loan deals are for clubs that are skint and shopping in a market for players no one is really intrested in, the only thing this board are interested in is keeping all the money in the bank 100 million at last count.they will dine out on this for years and fool the fans if we are daft enough, the quicker this board is gone the better
Frank you will never be happy, chill out!!!
john HH
Why has Ferguson not developed after his debut season? Graham Potter took him to West Ham on loan, whereafter virtually nothing was heard of him. One wonders whether his initial success was due in part to his physique and in part to his being an unknown quantity to other teams? Or are other issues involved?The fee allegedly mentioned seems highly speculative for a player who has achieved relatively little to date; and there is no point in Celtic taking a player on loan, simply to develop his potential for the parent club, while at the same time keeping players contractually bound to Celtic out of the picture. A very firm NO to Ferguson, say I!
Martin, I wonder what you would be like if Celtic was in the same position as Rangers!!! I don’t like the way you slag off the Celtic players. Your’e not a HH fan.
John HH
John,
I’m grieved that you don’t like my comment. Maybe you should become a more demanding and less sychophantic fan because the way things are going right now, we might well find ourselves at the same quality level as Rangers. The players I “slag off” are players who, with the best will in the world, are not worth anywhere near the money that was spent on them. As for Scales, well, you know!