Premier League Forward Still Prefers Celtic Despite Getting Closer To Serie A Switch: What Should The Hoops Do | OneFootball

If a report from The Sunday Times (as cited by The Daily Record) is believed to be true, Evan Ferguson still prefers a switch to Celtic, even though AS Roma are close to securing his services on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion. The young forward would give it a second thought should Brendan Rodgers renew his interest in due time.

The 20-year-old Republic of Ireland international progressed through St Kevin’s Boys and Bohemians’ academy ranks, before breaking into the latter’s senior squad at 14. The Seagulls snapped him up in January 2021, and the glimpses of his mastery high up the pitch earned him accolades as a teenager.

However, he struggled for minutes behind Danny Welbeck and João Pedro last season, and therefore, was loaned out to West Ham United earlier this year for regular minutes. The Hammers brought him in amid injuries to Niclas Füllkrug and Michail Antonio, yet the Irish youngster failed to stake a claim under Graham Potter, who brought him in East Sussex while in charge of Brighton.

DUBLIN, IRELAND – JUNE 06: Evan Ferguson of the Republic of Ireland is challenged by Lamine Camara of Senegal during the international friendly match between the Republic of Ireland and Senegal at Aviva Stadium on June 06, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Despite losing Pedro to Chelsea, Ferguson does not belong to Fabian Hürzeler’s plans for the upcoming campaign. The German chief has roped in Charalampos Kostoulas from Olympiacos for a fee of around £30m, and a season-long loan appears to be the best possible outcome for all parties involved.

Why Celtic Must Sign Ferguson

Although he has previously been linked to a move to Parkhead, the Celts have yet to step up interest in the Irishman. They lost Kyogo Furuhashi back in January, but never replaced him up top. The Irish centre-forward pair Adam Idah and Johnny Kenny complemented each other, and so did Daizen Maeda, who exhibited exquisite scoring traits since being shifted to a ‘number 9’ spot from his preferred left-wing role.

Meanwhile, a season-ending injury to Jota forced Rodgers to reinstate Maeda down the wide. Idah stepped in and delivered as the outright striking option, and Kenny, too, showed his sparks in limited gametime. The latter is now in the books of ‘a host of clubs‘ over a season-long loan, and the Hoops should sanction a temporary switch to ensure regular minutes.

Celtic are chasing two more centre-forwards in Shin Yamada of Kawasaki Frontale and Napoli prospect Giuseppe Ambrosino. While the numbers of the Japanese forward cast doubt over his immediate first-team involvement, a deal for the Italian is extremely complicated, with the Scudetto conquerors could hand him an opportunity to impress in the pre-season.

The Bhoys have tied down highly-rated Callum Osmand from Fulham. But the teenager needs time to attune to the physicality and aggression of the Scottish game. Idah has often been isolated while spearheading the attack, and Ferguson, a proven goalscorer in the Premier League, should secure a starting status over his compatriot.

Besides maintaining their domestic dominance, Rodgers must focus on improving their Champions League form, having shown resilience last season against the European heavyweights. Ferguson’s presence in and around the box, build-up play, and poaching attributes would restore their creative spark despite Nicolas Kuhn’s departure.