By:
Mark Hendry
Evan Ferguson’s time as an AS Roma player may be coming to a premature end in January.
The Republic of Ireland forward has struggled in Serie A with his loan club and has found the net just once since he arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion earlier in the summer.
The expectations had been great for the 21-year-old given his previous Premier League exploits but it has been a difficult spell in the Italian capital.
Ferguson’s future has been up in the air this term with both parent and loan club both considering their options.
The deal runs until the end of the season with Roma and so the frontman would still have time to make a success of his stint.
However, according to newspaper giant La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy, Roma have already made their decision on the striker it and is not good news for Ferguson who will reportedly head back to England next month.
We told you on Tuesday how Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini addressed Ferguson’s future and admitted that he had not made the decision yet.
Evan Ferguson to have Roma loan cut short in January
But now the influential publication claims that has now changed.
They wrote: “Ferguson’s gamble is over: he’s heading back to Brighton in January.”
“The Irish striker has disappointed, and the Giallorossi are working to end his loan.”
It will no doubt come as a disappointment to the ambitious Ferguson who will have World Cup dreams of being picked in Heimir Hallgrímsson’s squad for the playoffs vs Czechia.
Marksman Troy Parrott is on fire up front right now which will make it more difficult for the out of form Ferguson to shift the AZ Alkmaar star.
However, a comeback to the Seagulls may not be his final move of the season if they decide to ship him out for a second loan deal elsewhere.
Celtic, this week’s Roma opponents, have had interest in the Irishman in the past and could revisit as they are in need of attacking reinforcements themselves.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has previously spoke on Ferguson and refused to commit to any sort of transfer plan for the coming window.
But he did acknowledge that his player had found it difficult to adapt to life in Italy and their way of playing the game.
Brighton and Roma managers both have say on Ferguson future
“Let’s see when January comes how we try to make the team better, what changes we want to do, but at the moment we still have a few weeks to go,” he said.
“We still try to really focus on the present because, at the moment, we can’t change anything. We need to find solutions within the squad and with the players we have, and the squad is definitely good enough to find good solutions.
“It’s not easy for Evan to adapt to a new culture and play a different style of football.
“You have to be patient; he’s young and needs to adapt.”
Gasperini also had his say, adding: “Ferguson’s future? I’ve never talked about it, I don’t know if the agent has.
“I will talk about it with the club in January, if necessary. It always happens these days that there’s a lot of talk about players, then maybe one comes in, scores two goals, and changes everything.
“Or maybe he plays two or three high-quality games and the assessments change.
“I think it’s too early: there are so many games that can completely change the strategies.”
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