Brighton owner Tony Bloom has claimed that he is extremely excited about Evan Ferguson's talents on a football pitch.
Ferguson's stock in English football appears to be growing at an alarming rate after his debut Premier League season, and the Bettystown native has picked up where he left off last season.
A goal on the opening day of the season against Luton was bettered by his first Premier League hat-trick against Newcastle two weeks ago.
The 18-year-old Irish superstar became the fourth 18-year-old in Premier League history to score a Premier League hat-trick, after Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, and Chris Bart-Williams.
A number of players have praised the young Irish forward for his displays. Some have compared him to Harry Kane already, while others have said Premier League legend Alan Shearer is a closer comparison.
Writing his column for The Athletic, Shearer said, "I’m not sure how to write this next bit without sounding like a w***r… but as I watched Ferguson against Newcastle, I caught myself thinking, ‘Yeah, I recognize that’ or, ‘Hmm, I may have seen some of that before.’
I don’t know whether it was his exuberance or confidence, the touch of arrogance, but that little strut, the way he handled himself, was very reminiscent of how I felt at that age. Goals were my drug, and we share the addiction."
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Despite the lavish praise he has received from players and fans alike, there is a sense that Ferguson will eventually be sold for big money in the following years.
Brighton's owner, Bloom, who will be key to any negotiations around Ferguson's future, has refused to be drawn on any potential Ferguson fee will be Instead, he just wants to see him develop into the best footballer he can be.
“I’m extremely excited about Evan Ferguson, as I am by lots of our young players who are also playing phenomenally well,” Bloom says. “But I will let others talk about the potential and what it may be.
“He doesn’t need me to put any more pressure on him. He’s a great young man, he’s got a superb temperament, and I’ll just let him develop and see what happens.”
Brighton plays Manchester United at Old Trafford this evening. The game kicks off at 3pm
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