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 club’s senior advisor, and Gian Piero Gasperini, the team’s 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 England’s 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 coaching style 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 Stats
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 Gasperini’s management, which is an encouraging sign that Ferguson has a high chance of succeeding with Roma.
Evan Ferguson Radar Chart
That said, I find it obligatory to note that Dovbyk’s current level and experience are highly superior to Ferguson’s.
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 superior to Dovbyk in terms of passing accuracy, dangerous passing, defensive duels, and positioning.
What is mostly important to note in this regard is that Ferguson needs to urgently improve his goal contribution rates to become worthy of challenging Dovbyk or the other names who might be recruited to reinforce the team’s attack.
As things stand, Roma will probably sign an additional striker to play alongside Dovbyk or to replace one of the two starting strikers.
Therefore, earning a starting spot will not be automatic for Ferguson.
He will have to impose himself through convincing and consistent goal contribution numbers to win more playing time at the expense of the potential new striker(s).
Evan Ferguson Vs Artem Dovbyk Stats
Evan Ferguson Finishing Skills
Ferguson is a classic striker with outstanding finishing skills, especially when it comes to first-touch finishes or situations that require movements without the ball to anticipate defenders’ actions.
But above all, he is a specialist in curved shots with both feet, and he has proved that on numerous occasions.
Evan Ferguson Left-Footed Curved Shot
The following example highlights his ability to execute such curved shots with extreme precision, angling them in complicated corners for goalkeepers.
Producing similar shots with Roma while not losing the accurate technique and while alternating the angles would help him gain more confidence at the start of the season, especially if he succeeds in confusing goalkeepers.
Finding the back of the net instinctively, whether through curved shots or powerful ones and from inside or outside the box, makes Ferguson a very useful striker when he is in his best form.
Evan Ferguson Shooting Abilities
He is capable of finding complicated shooting trajectories between defenders even when there is little space and time to think of a solution inside the box, as shown in this goal action.
His quick decision-making and positive reactivity to the various situations he is put in help him score difficult goals and represent a continuous threat to opposing defences.
Furthermore, Ferguson proved that he can score headers and be useful during crosses and set-pieces, as he can also shoot with power and accuracy from distance.
In addition, his use of various other techniques and adapting to various goal-scoring situations, like using back-heel finishes, for instance, makes him a reliable striker with a high margin of improvement to eventually become a world-class striker.
Evan Ferguson Shooting From Distance
The following action not only highlights his shooting abilities but also confirms that he has what it takes to attempt shots from distance and succeed in scoring them with extreme accuracy.
This diversification of the goalscoring solutions makes Ferguson a wanted striker and someone who attracts head coaches like Gasperini to work with, making him an even more dangerous and consistent goalscorer.
Furthermore, we can see Ferguson retreating and coming from behind to finish actions inside the box, relying on his pace and ability to surpass defenders’ runs and anticipate them.
Evan Ferguson Runs From Behind
His pace becomes useful during such actions, as this enables him to become more explosive inside the box and, therefore, more efficient in terms of goalscoring and anticipation.
One of the great examples of such actions is his goal action against Luton Town, which highlights his ability to run through the whole opponent’s half to reach the cross at the perfect timing while surpassing his direct marker despite starting the run behind him.
Conclusion
Ferguson can be a successful signing for Roma if the deal goes through and if the player is motivated and attentive enough to follow his head coach’s instructions and perform at his best.
Suppose he succeeds in avoiding long-term injuries and proves himself as a reliable finisher.
In that case, Gasperini will not hesitate to rely on him as a Plan B and, why not, as a Plan A choice alongside Dovbyk if Roma do not make a more powerful striker signing during this transfer window.
