Two reports at more or less the same time create quite a puzzling post-script to one of the more peculiar West Ham stories of 2025. Hammers fans had high hopes when Graham Potter took over in the midst of the January window: Lopetegui’s dispatch surely meant an injection of cash to support the former Brighton boss in his new role at London Stadium. We all looked forward to a new striker – at a bare minimum – in the January window.
Disappointed, we had to make do with the loan signing of Brightons former £100m whizz kid Evan Ferguson. The striker-starved folk on the West Ham terraces made much of his arrival but what followed was a tale of anti climax heaped on disappointment.
Quite who was to blame may never be revealed: Ferguson flopped and Potter kept the youngster starved of game time – ninety two minutes in five months being the sum total of the young Irishman’s football.
What makes the story more puzzling is that we hear today suitors are falling over themselves to take Ferguson away from Brighton. Celtic are primed with Shay Given just today stating the SPL side could ‘strike gold’ by signing the frontman.
The Irishtimes.com confirms Everton, too, are interested in signing Ferguson. Whatever happened at West Ham, it hasn’t dulled top clubs’ enthusiasm to throw money at Brighton for what everyone except Graham Potter believes is a very special talent.
No doubt his success – either in green and white or blue and white- is guaranteed as West Ham fans have to endure the phoenix-like rise of the £100 million man who couldn’t get a game for love nor money at West Ham.
He was amazing at Brighton when he first sprung onto the scene under Potter. Banging the goals in left right and centre. I don’t know what happened but clearly the injury he had has taken its toll. Whether physically he’s not the same or he’s carrying mental baggage, lost his confidence is the question. Should he come good again though someone’s going to get as Potter once called him, a special player.
£100m man? What nonsense. Has anyone actually made an offer for him? Nah. I’d hardly call Celtic of the Scottish pub league and Everton no shortage of suiters.
Why another post about an injury plagued striker who hasn’t been fit or scoring goals for a couple of years?
Never should’ve signed him on a loan.
Hopefully he joins Everton rather than Celtic so they struggle to score goals. We need all the help we can get next season as it’s going to be painful.
When I first saw him playing for Brighton I couldn’t believe at his maturity and talent for an 17/18yo. This season, that is a player that would be lucky to get first team football in the Championship. Night and day. I feel sorry for the lad, but this is a results driven business. All the free pass crap that so many people said Potter had is complete rubbish. Fans have been on his back from day one. He tried to play the young lads but they were just too raw. They need lower stakes to develop further and the prem isn’t that. Whoever signs Ferguson likely has another Fabio Silva or Brewster on their hands. Fair play to Potter for putting him in the shop window first time around. Brighton shouldn’t have been so greedy when Man U were sniffing around.
Looked a shadow of the young player that played for Brighton. Looked like a player who was scared of getting injured again.
To be honest I saw nothing from him in the appearances he made, Fullkrug was streets ahead and it would have been insane to give him time ahead of Fullkrug. I make it one of the things that Potter did call right.
Sorry John i always respect what you write but this time i have to disagree.
Potter persuaded the board to get Ferguson on loan and then decided he wouldn’t play him.Whether we paid some of Fergusons wages or not it was a right cock up and a complete waste of money which i totally blame Potter for..
Sorry Richard but you do not seem to disagree with John. John says that Potter got it right putting Fullkrug ahead of Ferguson. COYI
Absolute crap, he signed him on what he was, not what he is. Potter doesn’t have time to ignite the player for Brighton’s benefit. We all saw a better player a few seasons ago, we and Potter are not in training with Brighton, we can only go on first team performances. These are the naive comments of the armchair manager. The poor lad was not good enough to play first team in the prem. If you have evidence to the contrary, please share it.
I have said this before on this site potter didn’t fancy him when he was brighton manager it was after he was gone ferguson thrived so why he wasted west hams money on a player he didn’t rate is anybodies guess.