Evan Ferguson

Evan Joe Ferguson (born 19 October 2004) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Early life
A native of Bettystown, County Meath, Ferguson is son of former professional footballer Barry Ferguson who played for Coventry City, Colchester United, Hartlepool United, Northampton Town, Longford Town, Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Sporting Fingal during his playing career. His mother is English. He grew up supporting Manchester United. He attended Coláiste na hInse growing up.

Ferguson began playing with the prestigious Dublin schoolboy club St Kevin's Boys, before moving on to the youth section of League of Ireland club Bohemians, where he would play in the National Underage Leagues. In December 2020, he scored in his last game at underage level for the club as his side won the League of Ireland U17 Division, beating rivals Shamrock Rovers 2–0 in the final.

Bohemians
Ferguson made his debut in senior football on 11 July 2019: a 1–1 draw with Chelsea in a friendly at Dalymount Park, aged just 14 at the time which made him the club's youngest ever player at senior level. His competitive debut in senior football came on 20 September 2019, replacing Luke Wade-Slater late on against Derry City at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. Ferguson's first goals at senior level came on 28 January 2020, scoring two goals in a 4–2 pre-season friendly win over Drogheda United. He would go on to make four competitive appearances in total over his two seasons at the club.

2021–22 season
In January 2021, he signed for the academy of Brighton & Hove Albion, who beat fellow Premier League club Liverpool to his signature. On 24 August 2021, he made his first team debut, replacing Enock Mwepu, in the 81st minute of a 2–0 win away against Championship side Cardiff City in the EFL Cup second round. On 6 September, he was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for August. He scored his first ever professional goal, scoring Brighton under-23s equaliser in an eventual 2–1 away win at League Two side Northampton in the EFL Trophy on 2 November. Ferguson won his club's goal of the month competition for November 2021 for his goal against Everton U23s at Goodison Park. His first involvement in a matchday squad in the Premier League came on 15 December 2021, when he was an unused substitute in the home defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Ferguson made a second appearance of the season for the senior side on 8 January 2022, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute where he assisted Jakub Moder's equaliser in the eventual 2–1 – after extra-time — away victory over West Bromwich Albion of the Championship in the FA Cup third round. Four weeks later, Ferguson made another substitute appearance again coming in the FA Cup, this time away at Tottenham Hotspur on 5 February, in a 3–1 defeat for the Seagulls. On 19 February 2022, Ferguson made his Premier League debut for Brighton, coming on as a substitute in the 3–0 home loss against bottom side Burnley.

2022–23 season
On 24 August 2022, Ferguson scored his first Albion goal himself, set up by fellow academy player Cameron Peupion, in the 90+4th minute of the 3–0 away win over League One side Forest Green Rovers in the EFL Cup second round. On 19 October 2022, on his 18th birthday, Ferguson signed his first long-term professional contract at Brighton, keeping him at the club until 2026. On 31 December, in the 4–2 home loss against Arsenal, he made his third Premier League appearance from the bench for Brighton where he scored his first career league goal. At 18 years old he became both Ireland and Brighton's youngest ever Premier League goalscorer. Three days later on 3 January 2023, Ferguson started his first Premier League match, scoring again in the 4–1 away victory over Everton. On 25 April, Ferguson committed his future to Brighton after signing a long-term contract until 2028. After a successful breakthrough season scoring 10 goals in 25 appearances Ferguson went on to win Brighton's Young Player of the Season at the end of season awards.

2023–24 season
Ferguson opened his goal account for the 2023–24 season in the opening game on 12 August, after coming on as a substitute he netted a 95th minute effort to seal a 4–1 home win over Premier League newcomers Luton Town. On 2 September, Ferguson scored his first club career hat-trick against Newcastle United in a 3–1 home league win. Hence, he became the fourth player to achieve this feat at 18 years old, following Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Chris Bart-Williams. He also joined Cesc Fàbregas as the only two non-English players to reach 10 Premier League goal involvements while aged eighteen and under. On 29 October, Ferguson scored his 11th Premiership goal in the 26th minute of a 1–1 draw against Fulham at the Amex Stadium. The BBC reported that Igor Julio and Pascal Groß were involved in the build-up, Gross playing the ball to the feet of Ferguson, who had the space and composure to take a touch and calmly stroke the ball low past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno for the opening goal. On 10 November, he extended his contract until 2029. Ferguson brought his season tally to six against Nottingham Forest on 25 November, when he scored in the 26th minute from a Pascal Groß pass to make it 1–1, in a game that Brighton eventually won 3–2.

International career
Ferguson has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15, under-17 and under-21 youth level. On 27 August 2021, he was called up alongside Brighton teammate Andrew Moran to the Republic of Ireland U21 for the first time, for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Luxembourg. He made his U21 debut in a 2–0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica.

Ferguson was called up to the senior squad for the first time in November 2022, for friendlies against Norway and Malta, with the 18-year-old describing that he was "absolutely buzzing" with being selected. He made his senior debut against Norway on 17 November, coming on as a 89th minute substitute for goalscorer Alan Browne in the 2–1 home defeat. Ferguson made his first start on 22 March 2023, against Latvia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in a friendly. He scored Ireland's second goal of the game on 17 minutes, from a knockback by Michael Obafemi. Ireland won the game 3–2, with Ferguson being replaced by Troy Parrott after 73 minutes.

In June 2023, Ferguson scored his first competitive goal for Ireland during a 3–0 victory over Gibraltar in the Aviva stadium in a Euro 2024 qualifier. In October 2023, Ferguson scored his second competitive goal against Gibraltar at the Estádio Algarve.

Style of play
Ferguson has been described by Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer as looking "like the real deal. Left foot, right foot, headers, pace, aggression, intuition; there is no obvious weakness to his game."

International

 * Scores and results list the Republic of Ireland's goal tally first.

Individual

 * FAI Young International Player of the Year: 2022
 * Brighton & Hove Albion Young Player of the Season: 2022–23